The “Black Zaporozhians” are now on the “Subscribe to army” platform. What it is, how it works, and why it matters right now — read more below.
There are brigades that receive honorary names by decision of the command. The 72nd received its name from the enemy — long before any official decrees. “Black” was how Russians referred to the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade back in 2014, when it held the toughest directions in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and inflicted significant losses on them. The name stuck, and in 2017 it became official — in honor of the legendary regiment of the Ukrainian People’s Republic Army with the motto “Ukraine or Death.”
Since then, more than ten years of war have passed. Mariupol, Donetsk Airport, Avdiivka, the defense of Kyiv on both banks of the Dnipro, Bakhmut, 25 months in Vuhledar — where in one of the battles the Russians lost more than 130 armored vehicles. Pokrovsk direction, Kharkiv region. And each time — at the hottest points.
Now the brigade is holding the defense in Kharkiv region. And it is from here that we had a short conversation with Lieutenant Yurii Maslii, Deputy Head of the brigade’s financial and economic service, about what it means to fight when there are people behind you who believe.
The problem that cannot be seen from the rear
Frontline logistics is not only about delivering ammunition. It is about delivering it and returning alive. Under constant pressure from enemy drones, the vehicles supplying the front line become targets. That is why one of the brigade’s most urgent needs right now is electronic warfare systems for installation on transport vehicles.
Not flashy weapons for videos. Just EW systems for supply vehicles. The kind of thing that saves lives every day — unnoticed and without headlines.
“It’s like a Netflix subscription”
The brigade learned about “Subscribe to army” in a simple way: representatives of the platform contacted them directly. They provided the necessary information — and joined.
“It is important to have any support from society. This way we feel that we are not alone in this struggle. ‘Subscribe to army’ differs in scale from the support of large charitable foundations or communities, but it is an indicator that society believes in its military and invests in it. It’s like a Netflix subscription — if you love series or movies, you buy it,” says Lieutenant Yurii Maslii.
The first inflows were seen in the treasury account statement. The information was immediately communicated to the personnel.
“The reaction was very positive — it is not only financial assistance, but also tangible support and trust from people, which additionally motivates us in carrying out our tasks,” he adds.
Currently, the brigade’s page is supported by 20 subscribers who together have raised more than UAH 26,000. There are people who have been with the platform for five months already — and have not missed a single contribution. The largest one-time donation is UAH 8,000. From a person who most likely has never personally met any of the Black Zaporozhians.
“When fighters have equipment purchased with donated funds, carrying out tasks becomes much easier,” Lieutenant Maslii concludes.
What is “Subscribe to army”
A non-commercial project created by volunteers with business support at the request of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. The logic is simple: a regular small contribution — like any other subscription. Only instead of a TV series — real support for a specific unit.
100% of the funds without commissions go directly to the official account of the brigade. The minimum amount starts from UAH 10. Overall, the platform has already raised more than UAH 1 million, and every month more than UAH 230,000 is transferred to unit accounts from more than 1,800 people across the country.
“Thank you for carrying this burden together with us. And for proving that there are no small donations!” says Lieutenant Yurii Maslii.
You can support the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporozhians on subscribetoarmy.com by choosing a unit, the amount, and a convenient frequency.
