June 2025
Dear Friends of Ukraine,
June 28th is Ukrainian Constitution Day, marking a significant historical milestone in which Ukraine established itself as a sovereign and democratic state. Adopted on June 28, 1996, the Ukrainian Constitution is similar to the United States Constitution in that it guarantees basic human rights to all of its citizens and defines a democratic process for the peaceful transfer of power.
Both political documents embody sacred democratic values. We may never fully agree with one another on how our tax dollars should be spent or which social issues are the most important, but we must believe that we have a right to govern ourselves without the interference of hostile foreign actors. We must believe in the peaceful transfer of power through a democratic process. We must believe that the separation of powers is essential to a healthy, democratic society. These values are the glue that binds democracies. And they are under attack.
As Ukraine’s Constitution Day approaches, we hope you will join us in reflecting on which values matter most to a democratic society. We’ll be hosting an event at Launch Pad Brewery in Aurora on June 28th. We hope to see you there.
Read on to learn more about how your contributions are making a difference in Ukraine, the Launch Pad Brewery event, our campaign to fight water insecurity in Ukraine, Ukraine’s Constitution Day, and much more. Or, read no further and support Ukrainian Defenders by clicking the ‘Donate Now’ button above.
Thank you for being part of our community.
Together we are stronger!
Kyle, Andriy, Slava, Ulana, Natalie, Becky and all of us at
Sunflower Seeds Ukraine
Spread Seeds of Help!
In April 2025, we provided 395 Ukrainian Defenders with 1,169 medical, protective, tactical, optical, and other items, including:
196 individual first-aid kits (tourniquets, chest seals, hemostatic dressings...)
227 protective equipment items (knee pads, earmuffs, tactical gloves...)
320 tactical gear items (load-bearing vests, backpacks, water canteens...)
227 uniform components (including actual uniforms, boots, hats…)
45 optical devices (binoculars, range finders...) and other special items
This month, one of the most popular items was military boots. We had lots of them at the warehouse, and by the end of the month, the most popular sizes were gone. Drone detectors, introduced last month, have continued to be in demand. A huge thanks to those who donated and to all of you who support our mission to save the lives and strengthen the resolve of Ukrainian Defenders. Let's keep it up!
russian attacks against Ukrainian dams, pipelines, and water treatment facilities have left millions of Ukrainians with water insecurity. Potable water is essential for everything from drinking to cleaning, and with the heat rising in the summer months, many civilians and defenders are struggling to stay hydrated. Would you help us bring clean, safe drinking water to Ukrainians in need?
A $100 donation buys 10 personal water filters, a $200 donation buys 10 Camelbak pouches, and a $300 donation buys ten 100-count packets of water purification tablets capable of providing a person with safe drinking water for a month. If you’d like to help us meet this urgent need, please consider a donation to this effort.
We are excited to invite you to our first annual Constitution Day Celebration!
WHEN: June 28, 12 p.m.-3 p.m.
WHERE: Launch Pad Brewery in Aurora
WHAT: 3 presentations about Ukraine, Ukrainian food and great drinks, and quality discussions with like-minded community!
WHO: Speakers will include Dr. Sarah Sokhey, an expert on Ukraine and Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Colorado; Veteran John Jackson, who fought in Ukraine; and SFSU Volunteer Chip Heldman, who recently traveled to Ukraine, where he worked alongside our team in Rivne.
LEARN MORE: Read more about this event and other expanded stories on our blog.
SAVE THE DATES:
June 25 - TEDxBoulder Salon about Ukraine
July 24 - Dine Out for Ukraine
Ukraine’s constitutional journey reflects centuries of struggle for sovereignty and democratic governance. A key milestone came in 1710, when Cossack leader Pylyp Orlyk authored one of the world’s first modern constitutions. Written in exile and preserved today in Sweden, it established principles of separation of powers, religious tolerance, and Ukrainian independence from Moscow, centuries ahead of its time.
Another landmark came in 1918, when the Ukrainian People’s Republic adopted a constitution declaring Ukraine a sovereign democratic republic. It abolished the death penalty and guaranteed civil equality, but political instability prevented its full implementation.
Finally, in 1996, Ukraine adopted its modern Constitution following an all-night parliamentary session. Passed democratically—not by decree—it established Ukraine as a sovereign, democratic, legal state with guaranteed human rights, a semi-presidential system, and Ukrainian as the state language. A 2019 amendment formally committed Ukraine to EU and NATO integration, making geopolitical alignment part of its supreme law. Constitution Day (June 28) is written directly into the Constitution itself.
Ukraine’s constitutional history is not just legal—it’s a testament to its people’s enduring will for freedom, justice, and self-determination.
To learn more about Constitution Day, check out our blog post.
Meet Krista, a hard-working volunteer who’s been supporting Sunflower Seeds Ukraine since February. From strategically sourcing gear for Defenders to coordinating shipping, staffing event tables, to packing pallets, she’s jumped into all aspects of non-profit operations.
Originally from Aurora, Colorado, Krista now lives near Firestone with her husband, Alex—who is from Odesa, Ukraine—and their two children. They still have family in Odesa, including a “wonderful aunt” who once visited them in Colorado.
A medical transcriptionist and budding court stenographer, Krista is also a passionate advocate for democracy and freedom. She sees Ukraine’s fight as essential to protecting global sovereignty and values SFSU’s unique international network: “It means we’re able to take requests directly from Defenders for what they actually need.”
To all who support SFSU, she says, “Dyakuyu!” (which is ‘Thank you’ in Ukrainian)
To read more, visit our Patreon page, where we also post other exclusive content.
On the first of June, Ukraine carried out a covert operation against russia codenamed Operation Spider’s Web, destroying at least 13 strategic bombers across five russian air bases and delivering damage worth an estimated $7 billion in a single day. Just a few days later, Ukraine conducted another special mission, this time detonating explosives beneath the Kerch bridge and inflicting serious damage on one of russia’s major supply routes.
The destroyed and damaged nuclear-capable bombers represent an estimated one-third of russia’s cruise missile carrier fleet–the same fleet that has been used to terrorize Ukrainian civilian targets since the start of the war. russia’s capacity to carry out future strikes will be significantly impacted. Damaging the Kerch Bridge affects russia’s logistical capabilities, impacting their ability to resupply their front lines.
These attacks send a message to the kremlin that Ukraine is capable of sophisticated attacks deep within their borders. It reminds not just putin, but the entire world that Ukraine remains strong, and that Ukraine does, in fact, have cards left to play.
To read the full story with references, check out our blog post.
HELP US SPREAD THE WORD
Please forward this newsletter to anyone who might be interested, or use this form to subscribe or unsubscribe. For more frequent updates about our work, please like our Facebook page, follow us on Instagram, and subscribe to our Youtube channel and Patreon page. Browse our website for multiple ways to donate, or send us an email if you have any questions.
*The misspelling and lower casing of proper names like ‘russia’ in this newsletter is intentional and used as signs of disdain and disrespect. Similarly, the uppercasing of words such as ‘Defenders’ is intentional and used as a sign of respect and appreciation.
Note: Sunflower Seeds Ukraine is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN 99-3371103) registered in the state of Colorado, in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service. Donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by U.S. law.
