On January 16, 2026, a closed offline event of the regular financial support platform for units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, “Subscribe to army,” took place in Kyiv. The event became the platform’s first large-scale offline appearance and brought together military personnel, business representatives, opinion leaders, media, and the civic sector.
The event was held on the eve of the Day of Remembrance of the Cyborgs, the defenders of Donetsk Airport, and began with a minute of silence and an a cappella performance of the song “Hutsulka Ksenia” by the Cultural Landing, in the version known from the film “Cyborgs” by director Akhtem Seitablaiev. Footage of the defense of Donetsk Airport was shown on the screen.
The host of the event was Yurii Ivanysko — a combat veteran and captain of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Platform presentation
During the event, the platform was presented by Halyna Klempous, project manager of “Subscribe to army.” She introduced the platform’s operating logic and the tools available to units, including dashboards, analytics, and mechanisms for attracting new subscribers through referral links.
Klempous emphasized that the key value of the platform lies in the regularity and predictability of support. According to her, this enables units to plan their work and make decisions not in a constant crisis mode, but in a planning mode.
“Regular support is needed not for impressive numbers, but for the daily work of units. When assistance is predictable, the military can operate in a planning mode. Regularity in supporting the army is a matter of efficiency, not emotion,” added Halyna.
In her speech, Halyna Klempous also stressed that “Subscribe to army” is a non-commercial project of a charitable foundation and has no commercial component. The platform does not charge commissions and does not work with intermediaries: all contributions are transferred directly to the official accounts of military units.
The message “The most important subscription of your life” is now the central idea of the “Subscribe to army” platform and reflects the shift toward regular, conscious support for the military as part of everyday life.
Project ideology
A separate speech was dedicated to the ideology behind the creation of the platform. Project author Olena Shevtsova — a recipient of the Order of the People’s Hero, the Order of Princess Olga, a volunteer, and a public figure — spoke about the development of “Subscribe to army.”
“Subscribe to army” emerged from the real needs of the military. My task was simple — to translate these needs into the language of a convenient and understandable product. We created a platform that allows people to support units regularly, without fees or unnecessary barriers. Because supporting the army should not be a reaction to bad news, but a consistent process independent of the news cycle. We cannot control the war, but we can control the discipline of our support for the army,” said Olena Shevtsova.
During the event, there was also a live connection with a special guest — Yurii “Akhilles” Fedorenko, commander of the 429th Separate Brigade “Akhilles” of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
He emphasized that the platform gives people the opportunity to help not abstractly, but directly — to a specific military unit. “Commanders understand the needs of their units well and can, at the right moment, procure exactly what truly strengthens combat capability,” Fedorenko explained.
According to him, the platform also creates a direct connection between civilians and the military — people understand exactly where their money goes and why it is needed. “If we talk about victory, wars are always won by the people. The Defense Forces and the civilian sector are a single whole capable of winning this war,” the commander concluded.
The central part of the event was the panel discussion “Trust Without Illusions,” moderated by Melania Podoliak — a volunteer, public figure, and Head of Communications at the media outlet Grunt. The format of the discussion was built as an open conversation between military representatives, business leaders, digitalization experts, and the civic sector.
Participants included:
- Inna Tiutiun — Board Member, Director of IT, Retail, and Payments, and Digitalization at Sense Bank;
- Oleksandr Yarmak — commander of the Darknode battalion of the 412th Nemesis Brigade of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
- Anton Melnyk — expert in innovation ecosystem development, investments, and startups, former expert at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, representative of the defense fund MITS;
- Vitalii Deineha — volunteer, public figure, founder and head (2014–2020) of the “Come Back Alive” Foundation, former Deputy Minister of Defense for Digital Transformation;
- Ihor Reva — captain, project manager of the Reserve+ app, founder of the Patronage Service of the “Tymur Special Unit” of the Main Intelligence Directorate;
- Oleksii Reva — major, head of the “Impulse” project, specialist in the digitalization of the Ukrainian military.
The discussion focused on trust in tools for supporting the army, the responsibility of all stakeholders, risk management, and the importance of regular, long-term support in the context of a prolonged war.
Special attention was given to the role of business in systematic military support. Sense Bank Board Member Inna Tiutiun noted that a strong culture of supporting the Defense Forces has already formed in Ukraine, particularly among responsible businesses.
“Undoubtedly, a culture of supporting the army has formed in Ukraine. A large number of businesses help according to their capabilities, driven by gratitude and an understanding of the importance of regular support for those on the front line who are doing everything possible so that we can continue working,” she emphasized.
According to her, Sense Bank, as a state financial institution, uses various tools to support the army — from charitable initiatives with partners to special digital solutions for clients, such as a dedicated section in the bank’s app for donations and the ability for clients to donate their cashback. “I can confidently say that support is not decreasing,” Inna Tiutiun concluded.
The discussion reinforced the project’s key principle: “Subscribe to army” is created together with the military and for their real needs, as a tool for systematic and predictable support.
What’s next
The event became the starting point for scaling the message “2026 — the year of a new culture of support” in the public space.
As of today, more than 150 combat units have already joined the “Subscribe to army” platform, which has been operating since December 2025. The platform works within official memorandums with key components of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, including the National Guard of Ukraine, the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Marine Corps, the National Police of Ukraine, and the State Border Guard Service. A memorandum of cooperation is also being prepared with the Special Operations Center “A” of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The strategic goal of the project is to cover all combat units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine by the end of 2026, creating a unified technical infrastructure for regular support. The potential of the recurring support model is масштабним: according to the project team’s estimates, even engaging 1% of Ukrainians with an average contribution of UAH 100 could generate around UAH 37 million in monthly support, creating a stable additional financial foundation for the planned needs of the military.
Following the event, the platform team also announced the next stage of development — expanding cooperation with businesses, launching additional support tools, and entering the international public space through work with foreign media and partners. This includes creating clear mechanisms for companies that want to systematically support units: corporate subscriptions, partnership integrations, and joint communication campaigns.
In a war that lasts for years, regular support becomes critically important for the ability of units to plan and carry out their tasks. You can choose a brigade at subscribetoarmy.com
You can watch how the event took place via this link
About “Subscribe to army”
“Subscribe to army” / “SUBSCRIBE TO ARMY” is a social project created by Olena Shevtsova in response to a direct request from the military. The project is implemented on the RAZOM donation platform, owned by the ALL-UKRAINIAN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION “PUBLIC PLATFORM RAZOMUA,” and operates in partnership with the military, businesses, government institutions, and the public.
Media contacts:
Viktoriia Mialuk [email protected] +380 68 440 00 02 subscribetoarmy.com
