Hello! I’m Maarten and I was cycling from Belgium to Ukraine during the War June 2022. You might think “To Ukraine? Are you crazy? Why?” I heard it all the time. First, yes, I might be a little crazy and I like a good challenge. In 2018 I cycled from Brussels to Saint-Petersburg in Russia in support of SOS Children’s Villages.
Secondly, I felt so helpless and couldn’t just chill at home while my Ukrainian friends are living through times of fear, despair and immense uncertainty. Just last fall, I was attending a wedding in the beautiful city of Lviv. I have also visited Odessa, Kyiv, Chernobyl and Ternopil in the past years. As the horrible invasion is fading to the background in news reporting, it’s important to keep it top of mind.
Cycling from Brussels to Ukraine
I left my home city Brussels on Sunday 5 June, full of energy and enthusiasm for my cycling trip to Ukraine. The destination for the first day was Eindhoven, where my uncle Paul lives. Unfortunately the weather forecasts predicted heavy rain all day and that’s what I had soon after my departure. Luckily I was welcomed with a hot cup of tea and offered a warm bed by my family in the Netherlands.
The following day my uncle joined me for the first 50 kilometers towards the German border. The next days I continued cycling into Germany, passing by cities like Munster and Bielefeld. Cycling went surprisingly well and I was ahead of schedule when I arrived in Leipzig. I decided to take a rest day in Leipzig to explore the city, and did the same two days later in Dresden.
The cycling trip continued by crossing the border with Poland and cycling along some big Polish cities like Wroclaw and Krakow. Starting to feel exhausted and knowing it’s not a race, I cycled only 80-90 km instead of 100-120 for the last part of the trip. Ukraine was getting closer every day and after 19 days of cycling I reached the Korczowa border point with Ukraine.
Cycling in Ukraine at war
The waiting time to cross the border was more than 24h but luckily I was allowed to overpass the long line of cars. I got a little stressed when the Polish officers told me I could not enter Ukraine by bicycle, but I insisted to try and had few issues to convince the Ukrainian border police. What an unreal feeling to enter Ukraine in this situation.
The plan was to continue cycling until Lviv, a big city about 70 kilometer from the border. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was fascinating to see all the preparations on the road. A few checkpoints and a lot of sand bags and barbed wire in case war has to be fought on the ground here. Along the road were many Ukrainian flags and billboards referring to the war.
Cycling on Ukrainian roads is challenging, because the only option is often the busy main road. After cycling all day, it felt amazing to enter Lviv and continue to the center of this beautiful cultural city. I can’t explain the crazy feeling to realize that you cycled from your home in Brussels to Ukraine on a basic bicycle.
After spending a few days with my friends in Lviv, I continued cycling two more days to Ternopil. From here I cycled to a little town near Zbarazh, where I spent the weekend with the family of my Ukrainian friend Svitlana.
Visiting Kyiv, Irpin and Bucha
Although I kind of promised everyone stay in the West of Ukraine, I couldn’t stop my urge for adventure when I found out about trains to Kyiv. So I booked my ticket and took a night train to the capital of Ukraine. A trip with some risk as only a few days before, a residential area in the center of Kyiv had been hit by Russian missiles.
Even more fascinating was my visit to Irpin and Bucha, which were at the frontline only a few weeks before. I’ll write more about this later.
Going back to Brussels
After 10 days in Ukraine, it was time to return to Brussels again. As there were no flights, the options were limited and with my bicycle even more difficult. I decided to cycle one more day from Lviv to PrzemyΕl in Poland, from where I took a Flixbus to Brussels. An exhausting 25 hour ride, but a direct connection and very easy to take my bicycle.
Fundraiser for BEforUA
The goal of the cycling trip was to collect at least 1 euro for every kilometer on my bicycle. In the end I cycled over 2000 km from Brussels to Lviv and Ternopil, and back to PrzemyΕl in Poland. Thanks to the donations of 86 awesome contributers, I managed to raise a total of 3267,5 euro for BEforUA, a Belgian citizens initiative to help Ukrainian refugees. The funds will be used to send ambulances and medical supplies to Ukraine.
My YouTube video
Watch the video about my cycling trip to Ukraine on my YouTube channel.
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ΠΠ°ΡΡΠΈΠ½Π° “ΠΠ΅ΡΡΡΠ²ΠΎ Π¨Π΅Π»Π΄ΠΎΠ½Π°” ΡΠ°ΡΡΠΊΠ°Π·ΡΠ²Π°Π΅Ρ ΠΎ Π½Π΅ΠΎΠ±ΡΡΠ½ΠΎΠΌ ΡΠΎΠ΄ΡΠΎΡΡΠΊΠ΅ ΠΏΠΎ ΠΈΠΌΠ΅Π½ΠΈ Π¨Π΅Π»Π΄ΠΎΠ½ ΠΡΠΏΠ΅Ρ, ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΡΠΉ ΡΠΎΡΡΠ΅Ρ Π² Π½Π΅Π±ΠΎΠ»ΡΡΠΎΠΌ Π³ΠΎΡΠΎΠ΄ΠΊΠ΅ Π’Π΅Ρ Π°ΡΠ° Π² 80-Ρ Π³ΠΎΠ΄Π°Ρ . ΠΡΠΎΡ ΠΊΠΎΠΌΠ΅Π΄ΠΈΠΉΠ½ΠΎ-Π΄ΡΠ°ΠΌΠ°ΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠΉ ΡΠ΅ΡΠΈΠ°Π» ΡΠ²Π»ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ ΡΠΏΠΈΠ½-ΠΎΡΡΠΎΠΌ ΠΊΡΠ»ΡΡΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΡΠ΅ΡΠΈΠ°Π»Π° “Π’Π΅ΠΎΡΠΈΡ Π±ΠΎΠ»ΡΡΠΎΠ³ΠΎ Π²Π·ΡΡΠ²Π°” ΠΈ ΡΠ²Π»ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ ΡΠ²ΠΎΠ΅ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ°Π·Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΠΏΡΠ΅Π΄ΡΡΡΠΎΡΠΈΠ΅ΠΉ ΠΎΠ΄Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΈΠ· Π΅Π³ΠΎ Π³Π»Π°Π²Π½ΡΡ ΠΏΠ΅ΡΡΠΎΠ½Π°ΠΆΠ΅ΠΉ β Π¨Π΅Π»Π΄ΠΎΠ½Π° ΠΡΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ°.
Π‘ΡΠΆΠ΅Ρ ΡΠ°Π·Π²ΠΎΡΠ°ΡΠΈΠ²Π°Π΅ΡΡΡ Π² ΠΏΡΠΎΠ²ΠΈΠ½ΡΠΈΠ°Π»ΡΠ½ΠΎΠΌ ΠΎΠΊΡΡΠ³Π΅ ΠΠ΅Π΄ΡΠΎΡΠ΄, Π³Π΄Π΅ ΠΌΠ°Π»Π΅Π½ΡΠΊΠΈΠΉ Π¨Π΅Π»Π΄ΠΎΠ½, ΡΠ²Π½ΠΎ ΠΎΡΠ»ΠΈΡΠ°ΡΡΠΈΠΉΡΡ ΡΠ²ΠΎΠΈΠΌ ΡΠΌΠΎΠΌ ΡΡΠ΅Π΄ΠΈ ΠΏΠΎΠ΄ΡΠΎΡΡΠΊΠΎΠ², ΠΏΡΡΠ°Π΅ΡΡΡ ΠΏΠΎΠ΄ΡΡΡΠΎΠΈΡΡΡ ΠΊ ΠΎΠΊΡΡΠΆΠ°ΡΡΠ΅ΠΌΡ ΠΌΠΈΡΡ, Π³Π΄Π΅ Π΅Π³ΠΎ ΡΠΏΠΎΡΠΎΠ±Π½ΠΎΡΡΠΈ ΠΈ ΡΠ²Π»Π΅ΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ Π²ΡΠ³Π»ΡΠ΄ΡΡ ΡΡΡΠ°Π½Π½ΡΠΌΠΈ ΠΈ Π½Π΅ΠΎΠ±ΡΡΠ½ΡΠΌΠΈ Π΄Π»Ρ ΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΡΡΠ½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ²Π°ΡΠ΅Π»Ρ. ΠΠ°Π»ΡΡΠΈΠΊ ΠΏΡΠΎΡΠ²Π»ΡΠ΅Ρ Π²ΡΠ΄Π°ΡΡΠΈΠΉΡΡ ΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ΠΌΠ°ΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠΉ ΠΈ Π½Π°ΡΡΠ½ΡΠΉ ΡΠΊΠ»Π°Π΄ ΡΠΌΠ° ΡΠΆΠ΅ Ρ ΡΠ°ΠΌΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΡΠ°Π½Π½Π΅Π³ΠΎ Π²ΠΎΠ·ΡΠ°ΡΡΠ°, ΡΡΠΎ Π·Π°ΡΡΠ°Π²Π»ΡΠ΅Ρ Π΅Π³ΠΎ Π²Π·ΡΠΎΡΠ»ΡΡ ΠΎΠΊΡΡΠΆΠ°ΡΡΠΈΡ ΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ΅ΠΆΠΈΠ²Π°ΡΡ Π·Π° Π΅Π³ΠΎ ΡΠΎΡΠΈΠ°Π»ΡΠ½ΡΡ Π°Π΄Π°ΠΏΡΠ°ΡΠΈΡ.
Π¨Π΅Π»Π΄ΠΎΠ½ – ΡΠΈΠΏΠΈΡΠ½ΡΠΉ “Π½Π°Ρ ΠΎΠ΄ΠΊΠ°” Π΄Π»Ρ ΡΠΊΠΎΠ»ΡΠ½ΡΡ ΠΈΠ·Π΄Π΅Π²Π°ΡΠ΅Π»ΡΡΡΠ² ΠΈ ΠΏΡΠ΅Π½Π΅Π±ΡΠ΅ΠΆΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ ΡΠΎ ΡΡΠΎΡΠΎΠ½Ρ ΡΠ²Π΅ΡΡΡΠ½ΠΈΠΊΠΎΠ². ΠΠ½ Π²ΡΠ΄Π΅Π»ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ Π½Π΅ ΡΠΎΠ»ΡΠΊΠΎ ΡΠ²ΠΎΠΈΠΌ ΠΈΠ½ΡΠ΅Π»Π»Π΅ΠΊΡΠΎΠΌ, Π½ΠΎ ΠΈ ΡΠ²ΠΎΠΈΠΌΠΈ ΡΡΡΠ°Π½Π½ΡΠΌΠΈ ΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΡΡΠΊΠ°ΠΌΠΈ ΠΈ ΠΌΠ°Π½Π΅ΡΠ°ΠΌΠΈ ΠΏΠΎΠ²Π΅Π΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ, ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΡΠ΅ Π²ΡΠ·ΡΠ²Π°ΡΡ ΡΠΌΠ΅Ρ ΠΈ Π½Π΅Π΄ΠΎΡΠΌΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ Ρ ΠΎΠΊΡΡΠΆΠ°ΡΡΠΈΡ . ΠΠ΄Π½Π°ΠΊΠΎ Π²ΠΌΠ΅ΡΡΠ΅ Ρ ΡΡΠΈΠΌ, Π΅Π³ΠΎ ΠΈΠ½ΡΠ΅Π»Π»Π΅ΠΊΡΡΠ°Π»ΡΠ½ΡΠ΅ ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Π²ΠΈΠ³ΠΈ ΠΈ Π½Π΅ΡΡΠ°Π½Π΄Π°ΡΡΠ½ΠΎΠ΅ ΠΌΡΡΠ»Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ ΡΠ΄Π΅Π»Π°Π»ΠΈ Π΅Π³ΠΎ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ΅ΠΊΡΠΎΠΌ Π²ΠΎΡΡ ΠΈΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ ΠΈ Π³ΠΎΡΠ΄ΠΎΡΡΠΈ Π΅Π³ΠΎ ΡΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΡΠ΅Π»Π΅ΠΉ.
Π‘Π΅ΡΠΈΠ°Π» Π½Π΅ ΡΠΎΠ»ΡΠΊΠΎ ΠΎ ΠΌΠ»Π°Π΄ΡΠΈΡ Π³ΠΎΠ΄Π°Ρ Π¨Π΅Π»Π΄ΠΎΠ½Π°, Π½ΠΎ ΠΈ ΠΎ Π΅Π³ΠΎ ΡΠ΅ΠΌΡΠ΅, ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΠ°Ρ, Π½Π΅ΡΠΌΠΎΡΡΡ Π½Π° Π²ΡΠ΅ ΡΡΡΠ΄Π½ΠΎΡΡΠΈ ΠΈ ΡΠ°Π·Π»ΠΈΡΠΈΡ Π²ΠΎ Π²Π·Π³Π»ΡΠ΄Π°Ρ , ΡΡΠ°ΡΠ°Π΅ΡΡΡ ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Π΄Π΅ΡΠΆΠΈΠ²Π°ΡΡ ΠΈ ΠΏΠΎΠΌΠΎΠ³Π°ΡΡ Π΅ΠΌΡ Π² Π΅Π³ΠΎ ΡΡΡΠ΅ΠΌΠ»Π΅Π½ΠΈΠΈ ΠΊ Π·Π½Π°Π½ΠΈΡΠΌ ΠΈ ΡΠ°ΠΌΠΎΡΠ°Π·Π²ΠΈΡΠΈΡ. Π ΡΡΠΎΠΌ ΠΊΠΎΠ½ΡΠ΅ΠΊΡΡΠ΅ ΠΎΡΠΎΠ±Π΅Π½Π½ΠΎ ΡΡΠΊΠΎ Π²ΡΠ΄Π΅Π»ΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ Π΅Π³ΠΎ ΠΌΠ°ΡΡ ΠΡΡΠΈ, ΡΠ΅ΠΏΠ»Π°Ρ, Π·Π°Π±ΠΎΡΠ»ΠΈΠ²Π°Ρ ΠΈ Π²ΡΠ΅Π³Π΄Π° Π³ΠΎΡΠΎΠ²Π°Ρ ΠΏΡΠΈΠΉΡΠΈ Π½Π° ΠΏΠΎΠΌΠΎΡΡ ΡΠ²ΠΎΠ΅ΠΌΡ Π½Π΅ΠΎΠ±ΡΡΠ½ΠΎΠΌΡ ΡΡΠ½Ρ.
ΠΠ΅ΡΡΡΠ²ΠΎ Π¨Π΅Π»Π΄ΠΎΠ½Π° ΠΏΡΠ΅Π΄ΡΡΠ°Π²Π»ΡΠ΅Ρ ΡΠΎΠ±ΠΎΠΉ Π½Π΅ ΠΏΡΠΎΡΡΠΎ ΠΈΡΡΠΎΡΠΈΡ ΠΎ Π½Π΅Π»Π΅Π³ΠΊΠΎΠΉ ΡΠΊΠΎΠ»ΡΠ½ΠΎΠΉ ΠΆΠΈΠ·Π½ΠΈ Π³Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ, Π½ΠΎ ΠΈ ΠΎ ΡΠΎΠΌ, ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ ΡΠΎΡΠΌΠΈΡΡΡΡΡΡ Π΅Π³ΠΎ ΡΠ±Π΅ΠΆΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ, ΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΡΡΠΊΠΈ ΠΈ Ρ Π°ΡΠ°ΠΊΡΠ΅Ρ. ΠΡΠΈΡΠ΅Π»ΠΈ ΡΠ·Π½Π°ΡΡ, ΠΊΠ°ΠΊΠΈΠ΅ ΡΠΎΠ±ΡΡΠΈΡ ΠΈ Π»ΡΠ΄ΠΈ ΠΎΠΊΠ°Π·Π°Π»ΠΈ Π½Π°ΠΈΠ±ΠΎΠ»ΡΡΠ΅Π΅ Π²Π»ΠΈΡΠ½ΠΈΠ΅ Π½Π° ΡΠΎΡΠΌΠΈΡΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΠ΅ Π»ΠΈΡΠ½ΠΎΡΡΠΈ Π¨Π΅Π»Π΄ΠΎΠ½Π°, Π° ΡΠ°ΠΊΠΆΠ΅ ΠΊΠ°ΠΊΠΈΠ΅ Π²ΡΠ·ΠΎΠ²Ρ ΠΈ ΠΏΡΠ΅ΠΏΡΡΡΡΠ²ΠΈΡ Π΅ΠΌΡ ΠΏΡΠΈΡΠ»ΠΎΡΡ ΠΏΡΠ΅ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠ»Π΅ΡΡ Π½Π° ΠΏΡΡΠΈ ΠΊ ΡΠ°ΠΌΠΎΠΏΠΎΠ·Π½Π°Π½ΠΈΡ ΠΈ ΡΠ°ΠΌΠΎΡΠ°Π·Π²ΠΈΡΠΈΡ.
Π‘Π΅ΡΠΈΠ°Π» ΠΎΠ±Π»Π°Π΄Π°Π΅Ρ ΡΡΠΊΠΈΠΌ ΡΠΌΠΎΡΠΎΠΌ, Π½ΠΎ Π²ΠΌΠ΅ΡΡΠ΅ Ρ ΡΠ΅ΠΌ ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ°Π΅ΡΡΡ ΠΈ ΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ΅Π·Π½ΡΡ ΡΠ΅ΠΌ, ΡΠ°ΠΊΠΈΡ ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ Π΄ΡΡΠΆΠ±Π°, ΡΠ΅ΠΌΡΡ, ΠΈ ΡΠ°ΠΌΠΎΠΎΠΏΡΠ΅Π΄Π΅Π»Π΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅, ΡΡΠΎ Π΄Π΅Π»Π°Π΅Ρ Π΅Π³ΠΎ ΠΏΡΠΈΠ²Π»Π΅ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ΅Π»ΡΠ½ΡΠΌ ΠΈ Π΄Π»Ρ ΠΌΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ΄Π΅ΠΆΠ½ΠΎΠΉ, ΠΈ Π΄Π»Ρ Π²Π·ΡΠΎΡΠ»ΠΎΠΉ Π°ΡΠ΄ΠΈΡΠΎΡΠΈΠΈ. ΠΠ½ ΠΏΠΎΠ·Π²ΠΎΠ»ΡΠ΅Ρ ΠΏΠΎ-Π½ΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠΌΡ Π²Π·Π³Π»ΡΠ½ΡΡΡ Π½Π° ΠΎΠ΄Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΈΠ· ΡΠ°ΠΌΡΡ Π»ΡΠ±ΠΈΠΌΡΡ ΠΈ Π·Π½Π°ΠΊΠΎΠ²ΡΡ ΠΏΠ΅ΡΡΠΎΠ½Π°ΠΆΠ΅ΠΉ ΡΠ΅Π»Π΅Π²ΠΈΠ·ΠΈΠΎΠ½Π½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΌΠΈΡΠ°, ΡΠ°ΡΠΊΡΡΠ²Π°Ρ Π΅Π³ΠΎ Π³Π»ΡΠ±ΠΈΠ½Ρ ΠΈ ΠΌΠ½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎΠ³ΡΠ°Π½Π½ΡΠΉ
ΠΡΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΈΠΊ: https://young-sheldon.online/
ΠΡΠΏΠΈΡΡ ΠΏΡΠ°Π²Π° Π²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΡΠ΅Π»ΡΡΠΊΠΈΠ΅ ΠΏΠΎ Π²ΡΠ³ΠΎΠ΄Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ΅Π½Π΅. ΠΡΡΡΠΈΠ΅ ΠΏΡΠ΅Π΄Π»ΠΎΠΆΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ Π½Π° ΠΏΡΠΈΠΎΠ±ΡΠ΅ΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ Π²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΡΠ΅Π»ΡΡΠΊΠΈΡ ΠΏΡΠ°Π² Π±Π΅Π· ΡΠ΄Π°ΡΠΈ ΡΠΊΠ·Π°ΠΌΠ΅Π½ΠΎΠ². Π£ Π½Π°Ρ Π²Ρ ΠΌΠΎΠΆΠ΅ΡΠ΅ Π·Π°ΠΊΠ°Π·Π°ΡΡ ΠΏΡΠ°Π²Π° Π½Π° Π»ΡΠ±ΡΡ ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ΅Π³ΠΎΡΠΈΡ ΡΡΠ°Π½ΡΠΏΠΎΡΡΠ°. ΠΠ°ΡΠ°Π½ΡΠΈΡΡΠ΅ΠΌ Π²ΡΡΠΎΠΊΠΎΠ΅ ΠΊΠ°ΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²ΠΎ ΠΈ ΠΎΡΠΈΡΠΈΠ°Π»ΡΠ½ΡΡ Π»Π΅Π³ΠΈΡΠΈΠΌΠ½ΠΎΡΡΡ Π΄ΠΎΠΊΡΠΌΠ΅Π½ΡΠΎΠ². ΠΡΡΡΡΠΎ ΠΈ Π±Π΅Π·ΠΎΠΏΠ°ΡΠ½ΠΎ. ΠΠ°ΠΊΠ°ΠΆΠΈΡΠ΅ Π²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΡΠ΅Π»ΡΡΠΊΠΈΠ΅ ΠΏΡΠ°Π²Π° ΡΠΆΠ΅ ΡΠ΅Π³ΠΎΠ΄Π½Ρ ΠΈ ΠΏΠΎΠ»ΡΡΠΈΡΠ΅ Π²ΠΎΠ·ΠΌΠΎΠΆΠ½ΠΎΡΡΡ ΡΠΏΡΠ°Π²Π»ΡΡΡ Π°Π²ΡΠΎΠΌΠΎΠ±ΠΈΠ»Π΅ΠΌ Π±Π΅Π· Π»ΠΈΡΠ½ΠΈΡ Ρ Π»ΠΎΠΏΠΎΡ. ΠΠ°Π΄Π΅ΠΆΠ½ΡΠΉ ΠΈ ΠΏΡΠΎΠ²Π΅ΡΠ΅Π½Π½ΡΠΉ ΡΠ΅ΡΠ²ΠΈΡ, ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΡΠΉ ΠΏΠΎΠΌΠΎΠΆΠ΅Ρ Π²Π°ΠΌ Π»Π΅Π³Π°Π»ΡΠ½ΠΎ ΠΏΠΎΠ»ΡΡΠΈΡΡ ΠΏΡΠ°Π²Π° Π²ΠΎΠ΄ΠΈΡΠ΅Π»Ρ.
https://t.me/kupit_prava_voditelskie_GIBDD
Oh wow! Thatβs exciting Maarten, I hope things will be already better when you reach there! When will you leave? I like the idea a lot and I am supporting you for this! Be safe dear! ππ
Hi Elif! Thank you so much for your support and donation β€οΈ I will leave this Sunday and of course I will be monitoring the situation day by day to keep it as safe as possible! See you soon βΊοΈ
πππ»π΄ββοΈπΊπ¦πͺ