Mercedes Vito van donated to Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine

27 July 2026 – Sunflower Scotland donated a Mercedes Vito van to Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces (the drone forces) in Pavlohrad. This van was given to a medical team at the Dobropilla – Druzhkivka front, and is already helping to save lives.

This is a war of drones. That’s why we are supporting one of Ukraine’s leading regiments with a donation of this Mercedes Vito. The boys and girst are doing an incredible job. Thanks to its innovation, creativity and courage, Ukraine has been able to resist the immensely larger aggressor with a smaller army assisted by flying machines.

We have known and supported this drone team since 2023. We first met in Konstaha (Kostyantynivka). They were in another brigade back then. After Unmanned Systems Forces (or SBS in Ukrainian) were crearted, they jouned the new regiment. We were really delighted to meet old friends, and suppoert them again with a free donation.

Thanks to our donors

We sincerely thank a Scottish donor from Newton Mearns in Glasgow, for donating the van. He decided to donate his van, and emailed Sunflower. One Sunday, Oleg went to see him after church, and they sorted out all the paperwork.

The journey

The Vito van was in a good nick, generally speaking. Before going to Ukraine, we thoroughly checked it and found out that the brakes needed fixing. Our mechanics sorted them and prepared for the journey.

It wasn’t plain sailing though. In Germany, the engine coolant pump failed. Stevie who was driving the van, immediately stopped it before the engine overheated.

We were in the middle of nowhere in Germany. We found a Polish recovery van, and he took it over the border to Poland to the nearest garage.

A Polish mechanic in the garage looked at us and understood that we had a big journey ahead of us. He said he would fix everything in a day. Oleg and the rest of the convoy drove on through Poland, while Stevie stayed to wait with the van.

The same evening the van was ready. Oleg paid the bill in zloty (thanks to Revolut), and Stevie set off immediately into the night, towards Ukraine. He caucht up with the main convoy near the Ukraine border.

When in Ukraine, we drove via Kharkiv (where we donated a Honda CRV to Khartiya). From there, we drove to Izium and Barvinkove (where we donated medical suppies for Kramatorsk). Finally, in the evening we reached our rendezvous point in Pavlohrad.

Meeting in Pavlohrad

We met at the old WOG petrol station. We stopped there so many times. It was our usual meeting point when going to Donbas via the Dnipro – Donetsk road. Okko is always too busy, and Oleg likes coffee at WOG.

This time, we found the petrol station destroyed. Russian drones hit it a month ago or so. All the structures were pierced by shrapnel, and pieces fo the metal roof ware lying on the floor.

We met with a soldier from the Unmanned Systems Forces. We signed all the paperwork, took some pictures, and chatted for a good half hour. We were remembering how things were, and how everything was changing.

The sun was about to set and we knew it was time. We went to Dnipro – our final destination for the day, and the Merc van went to do its first logistical run the same night.

The guys texted us later the same night and thanked us. We send their thanks to the Scottish donors who give their vehicles, and make cash donations which make our trips possible. Thank you and well done us all.