Four cadets from the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy are soon setting out on one of the most demanding challenges of the summer. In a 7.5-meter open-sea rowing boat, they will cover approximately 1,200 kilometres from Bergen to London to raise funds for Fritt Ukraina.
Ragnar Horn and Christian Ringnes have supported units along the front line for several years and recently visited Ukraine as volunteers on Fritt Ukraina’s transport mission number 128, during which large quantities of equipment were delivered to Ukrainian soldiers near the front line.
Oskar Pedersen AS and Aclima AS have donated wool garments to equip 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers in collaboration with Fritt Ukraina. The initiative was established during a working meeting between Oskar Pedersen and Aclima in January, explains Aclima CEO Christian Lodgaard.
Two 18-year-olds from Hardanger recently took matters into their own hands. Noa Golis and Eigil Hildonen-Teigland set course for Ukraine, transporting a pickup truck from Oslo to Lviv, where it is now in service with a Ukrainian defense unit.
The family of John Øyvind Livden has donated two vehicles to the Ukrainian air defence unit Air Defence West. The donation is financed through funds raised following the passing of the well-known volunteer in December.
Fritt Ukraina has received two vehicles and a number of generators from Rissa Kraftlag, a local energy company on the Fosen peninsula in Trøndelag. The equipment has been sent to frontline areas in Zaporizhzhia oblast, where the need for transport and stable power supply is critical.
Anneliese Pitz is back in Norway from a six-day trip to Ukraine. The car she drove was purchased using donations received following the funeral of her husband, Norwegian writer Roy Jacobsen. Roy was an honorary member of Free Ukraine – a title bestowed on only one person to date. Their involvement with Ukraine was something they shared, and Anneliese returns from Ukraine with renewed inspiration to carry it forward.
Magnus Sønsteby has visited the Ukrainian command base “Gunnar” near the front line in Zaporizhzhia. The base, used by a Ukrainian drone unit, is named after his grandfather, resistance fighter Gunnar Sønsteby. The visit made a strong impression.
The Norwegian drone company Tiepoint is donating the entire prize from its victory at the NORDSEC EUDIS Defence Hackathon 2026 to Fritt Ukraina. The first prize of €6,000 will go in full to the organisation’s efforts to support Ukrainian units at the front.
Tina Bru was elected as the new Chair of Fritt Ukraina at the organization’s annual general meeting on March 25. “I am very grateful for the trust placed in me to lead Fritt Ukraina,” says Bru.