Zaporizhzhia direction is one of the hottest points of the front. Here, the 108th Separate Kodatska Territorial Defense Brigade holds the defense under constant enemy pressure. In a short conversation, the head of the brigade’s communications unit, Colonel Ruslan Tkachuk, talks about the fighting, the shortage of equipment, and an unexpectedly effective tool — “Subscribe to army,” which he did not initially believe in, but which is already delivering results: the brigade currently has the highest average contribution on the platform — more than UAH 1,000. This is largely supported by a few highly engaged people: some donate regularly for several months, some make multiple contributions, and the largest donation so far is UAH 17,500.
“We are currently in one of the most intense directions. The enemy has concentrated forces four to five times larger than ours. These are the approaches to Zaporizhzhia — a critical point,” says Tkachuk, while simultaneously coordinating movements and arranging the next check-in.
The 108th Separate Kodatska Brigade is part of the Territorial Defense Forces from Dnipropetrovsk region. Its symbol is nine Cossack stars, referring to the history of the Zaporizhzhian Sich. But today these symbols carry a completely different meaning — daily battles, losses, and a constant need for resources.
“This is a very difficult direction. At times, we rank first in terms of intensity along the entire front line,” he adds.
Drones as a matter of survival
The main challenge is supply. And above all — technological.
“We really need drones. Especially ground robotic systems. The enemy dominates the air, and that is a fact,” the serviceman explains. This is not only about reconnaissance or strikes. Unmanned systems are also about logistics and evacuation.
“These systems allow us to deliver ammunition, food, and also evacuate the wounded. Because sometimes we cannot retrieve a person for two or three days. And sometimes even longer,” he says. At the same time, drones remain a consumable resource: “An FPV drone takes off — and that’s it, it doesn’t return.”
How they joined “Subscribe to army”
The brigade learned about the “Subscribe to army” platform through internal communication — they received a request to join and present their unit.
“For us, it turned out to be a convenient format, because it does not require additional resources — it is enough just to tell about ourselves,” explains Ruslan Tkachuk.
To start, they prepared a brigade page and recorded a video address together with an ambassador — Paul Michel Manandiz, a close friend of Ukrainian opera singer Vasyl Slipak, who was killed at the front.
According to the serviceman, this video received the greatest response: it was published both on the platform and on the brigade’s social media, with a link to the subscription added.
“We simply provided information and explained what we need. And it worked,” he adds.
“These are real funds”
The first inflows came as a surprise.
“I was pleasantly surprised. It really works. Our fund is being filled. And these are real funds,” he says.
The money goes to the official account of the brigade and is spent on specific needs: drones, transport, equipment. “These are not huge budgets. But even this is important.”
Without media coverage — it’s harder
The brigade does not have strong media support.
“If we compare with some units — we don’t even come close to having such budgets. We are not even allocated funds for developing social media,” says Tkachuk.
That is why such tools become critically important. “It’s a real find. You don’t need large resources here — just provide information and show yourself.”
“It’s like a YouTube subscription — just more important”
For the military, not only material support matters.
“When people donate, even without knowing us personally, it means we are one country. We are not divided into regions. We are one family,” he says.
This directly affects the morale of the fighters. “Absolutely. It is very supportive.” At the end, the serviceman addresses those who are still hesitating.
“During war, you cannot just observe. You have to do what you can,” says Tkachuk.
And adds a simple comparison: “In essence, it’s like a subscription to YouTube or Netflix. Sometimes they are even more expensive. But “Subscribe to army” is about supporting those who are on the front line right now.”
“I am grateful to everyone who donates. It is truly needed,” says the colonel before returning to work. The conversation ends as quickly as it began — between departures, tasks, and a war that continues every day.
How to join
You can join “Subscribe to army” in a few steps:
- Choose a unit on subscribetoarmy.com
- Define the contribution amount
- Choose a convenient frequency
- Track the results in public dashboards
Regular support is simple. And it is exactly what works in the long run.
