As Ukraine military supply dwindles, Bay Area lawyer raises money for night goggles
The fundraiser focuses on night vision goggles "...to be able to see the enemy approaching and to thwart these night attacks."
SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- We've heard so much about the ordinary citizens of Ukraine rising up to fight the Russian invasion, but supplies for all those volunteers - and for the nation's military - are dwindling.
Now, a San Mateo County woman who was born in Ukraine is taking action, raising money for night vision goggles.
TAKE ACTION: Local and national support for people in Ukraine
The I-Team's Dan Noyes spent today speaking with the woman from San Mateo County - a lawyer and a long-time source, but also with officials on the front line in Ukraine.
In her fundraising video, Nina Shapirshteyn says, "Hi, I'm Nina and I'm from Kyiv, Ukraine. I have lived in the United States since I was a teenager."
Although she lives and works in the Bay Area now, her heart is in Ukraine.
"My heart breaks to see my home country under this ruthless attack by Russia," she said.
VIDEO: Bay Area shows support for Ukraine with vigils, fundraisers and concerts
Shapirshteyn has been in contact with family friends in Ukraine and government officials who sent a long list of supplies their troops need to battle the Russians.
Lviv's First Deputy Mayor, Andrey Moskalenko, told the I-Team Tuesday, "The whole world have to see and to give huge response for this."
He added, "Every day we will show that what happened in the biggest country in Europe, where in the capital, Russian troops kill children. And so it's reality."
The list of needed supplies is long. You can see it listed in Ukranian, then the translation, and links for each item -- Ukranian government officials are shopping on Amazon to supply their military: helmets, body armor, boots, walkie talkies, flashlights, drones.
Nina Shapirshteyn says, "Russia carries out its Special Operations at night."
RELATED: Ukraine supporters in Bay Area rally against war, fundraise for humanitarian relief
Her fundraiser on Give-Send-Go is focusing on night vision goggles, she says, "...to be able to see the enemy approaching and to thwart these night attacks."
Representative Jackie Speier told the I-Team, "I admire her commitment to the Ukrainian people and to their defensive operation."
Dan Noyes asked, "Things seem to be moving so quickly in Ukraine, and the situation is so dire is US aid and for that matter aid from NATO and the EU, is all the aid getting there quickly enough, in your opinion?"
Rep. Speier answered, "Well, if you talk to President Zelenskyy, it's not quick enough. But we basically announced this 350 million a week or so ago, and, and 250 has already gotten there, we will continue to keep the pathways open to get as much material to the Ukrainian people as possible in the coming weeks."
Congress is set to vote on $14 billion of new aid to Ukraine by Friday. In the meantime, supporters are sending money now. Here is the link to this fundraiser.
