SACRAMENTO โย California continues to deliver relief to the people of Ukraine. Since March, the state has shipped five, 50-bed field medical stations along with thousands of pieces of protective gear to Ukraine.โCalifornia has stood firm in our support for Ukraine since day one of Russiaโs unprovoked invasion,โ said Governor Newsom. โOur supportย will save lives and help the people of Ukraine as they experience unspeakable atrocities, and we will continue to support Ukraineโs brave fight against tyranny and oppression.โ
For nearly three decades, as part of the California National Guardโs State Partnership Program, members of the Guard have trained members of the Ukrainian military. Together, both the state National Guard and the Governorโs Office of Emergency Services (OES) collaborated with state, local and federal agencies to deliver medical equipment and tactical gear supplies to Ukraine. The field medical stations are donated by the State of Californiaโs Emergency Medical Services Authority at the California Health and Human Services Agency.
The National Guard has facilitated the shipment of protective gear which includesย 4,320 ballistic vests and 1,580 helmets, with additional shipments planned in the coming weeks. Additionally, OES has facilitated the transfer of PPE and five field medical stations to cities in Ukraine, and is in the process of sending two more to Ukraine in partnership with Direct Reliefย of Santa Barbara, for a total of seven field medical stations (350 beds).
โCalifornia is incredibly proud to stand with the Ukrainian people as they have shown phenomenal resilience under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. We will continue to deliver additional aid in the coming weeks which will be used to help save lives and treat those devastated by the ravages of war,โ said OES Director Mark Ghilarducci.
โCaliforniaโs National Guard has formed an unbreakable bond with our Ukrainian counterparts and when the call was made to provide support and aid in a time of need, we responded with overwhelming support. The Guard requested donations of tactical gear from State National Guards throughout the nation and they responded with enthusiasm. Thanks to donations from California and from other National Guard members throughout the country, we are able to supply those fighting in Ukraine with thousands of ballistic vests and other protective supplies,โ said Major General David S. Baldwin, Adjutant General of the California National Guard.
The shipment is the latest show of support for Ukraine after Governor Newsomโs meeting with Consul General of Ukraine in San Francisco Dmytro Kushnerukย in March. In that meeting, the Governor expressed Californiaโs solidarity with the Ukrainian community and discussed the stateโs efforts to support the people and government of Ukraine. The Governor also signed anย executive orderย directing state agencies and departments to ensure their contracts complyย with economic sanctions imposed in response to Russiaโs attacks and to direct their contractors to do the same, andย called forย state pension funds to halt the flow of money from the state to Russia and to ban the purchase of Russian debt.
California and Ukraine share close ties and the state is home to one of the largest Ukrainian populations in the country. As a state of inclusion and a beacon of hope for those seeking refuge, California will continue to be a welcoming place for refugees.ย The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Refugee Programs Bureau has moreย information available onlineย for Ukrainian families and service providers.
