Dzyga's Paw, United States Of America, Washington D.C., DC (2026)

10/08/2026

He studied to be a teacher. Today he teaches people to fly strike drones.

Barsik leads the UAV direction at the Da Vinci Wolves: he trains pilots, plans strike operations, and develops new tactics as the war keeps changing underneath him. He finished Pedagogical University and enlisted. In a way he never stopped teaching. The subject just changed.

The footage in this post was filmed by his crew. Thermal imaging, poor contrast, an unstable link, and a target that has to be identified in seconds. That blurry grey picture is exactly what the pilot sees, and hitting anything in those conditions takes years of practice.

This is what he says about the aircraft he flies, the Ukrainian-made Blyskavka: "Very good machine. Stable, proves itself. Excellent price to quality ratio. We've hit enough targets to say there are no problems with these birds at all."

These aircraft for his unit are exactly what we're raising for, together with the Da Vinci Wolves Charity Fund. Every purchase is publicly documented.

👉 https://dzygaspaw.com/wolves-on-the-hunt?project=Wolves%20on%20the%20Hunt

He wanted to be a teacher. What did you want to be?

10/07/2026

Da Vinci Wolves have started their hunt 🐺
We delivered the first batch of 7 CHUMAK SR bomber drones to the Battalion, valued at $41,284. The fundraiser is still ongoing, but their pilots can already strike russian targets with them.

Since the beginning of August, we've raised $72,600 of our $250,000 goal. That's almost 30%, and more than half of it has already been converted into equipment on the front line. That's how we work: the moment there's enough for a batch, we buy it and deliver it.

We're almost ready to purchase the next batch. Help us get there faster - support the Wolves' hunt here 👇
https://dzygaspaw.com/wolves-on-the-hunt?project=Wolves%20on%20the%20Hunt

10/06/2026

You've seen a hundred "get ready with me" videos. This is what it looks like when the destination is a frontline position.

Pikachu, UGV pilot with the Da Vinci Wolves. Four years ago he was a product owner at a software company, packing a laptop bag for the office.

The socks came out first, vacuum-sealed with the air pressed out, because moisture is what actually ruins you out there.

Then the undershirts, and he's specific about these: the thinnest ones he can find, because body armor and equipment go over everything and he carries all of it on foot.

Then come the power banks, a bundle of cables, and the tablet he uses for maps and communication.

"We operate in a digital environment," he says, which is an understated way of describing a job where a dead battery leaves you blind and there are no outlets where he's going.

Gummies. Not chocolate, because chocolate melts in this weather.

And they're not for him: "You always want a little stash. A lot of guys come to your position. They're resting there, or their vehicle was destroyed. So you have to have something to cheer them up."

The rule he teaches new soldiers: "If you plan to go to a position for two days, prepare for five. Food, water, a change of clothes. And mentally. Because nothing goes as planned."

He left the morning after we filmed this.

The reason we're showing you this: he isn't a different species of human. He had a job you'd recognize, a commute, deadlines, a PlayStation he no longer has time for.

He signed his contract in 2025, while legally exempt from mobilization.

We're raising for the Da Vinci Wolves right now, the battalion Pikachu serves in.

UAVs and Starlink-fliers for the people holding this part of the line. Link is here: https://dzygaspaw.com/wolves-on-the-hunt?project=Wolves%20on%20the%20Hunt

What's in your bag on a normal Tuesday? 🐺

10/05/2026

Defenders' Week is almost over, today is the last day! We'll close the campaign tonight!

We made something for you: a Thank You Wall. Every single donation from this week is on it, including yours 😉

https://dzygaspaw.com/thank-u-wall

Together, you raised $25,911 and closed 6 parcels for soldiers who had been waiting in our queue. Parcel #7 is already halfway there.

The campaign ends tonight, but small requests never do. New ones come in every day, so the queue won't disappear. It just keeps moving, and your donations with the "no preference" option keep it moving.

Thank you for not forgetting the soldiers who don't make headlines!

10/02/2026

Our Dimko started Dzyga's Paw. These days he's in the army, so we asked him what makes him happy!

Small requests from soldiers like him are on our site this week.

You can support them with the "no preference" option, and Parcel #5 is almost closed! https://dzygaspaw.com/defenders-day-2026

10/02/2026

I joined a military charity this summer. A few weeks later, I was watching a sunset near the front line through anti-drone nets.

I'm Ann from Dzyga's Paw, and this is what my first trip east felt like 🧵

We went there to deliver gear and film a report for you. I never say no to trips east, because every time I think: "Maybe we won't be back here for a long time." So I photographed everything: every leaf, every snail, every wall that might not be there next time.

That sunset near Sloviansk: pink sky, green valleys covered with flowers. And all that beauty seen through nets stretched over the road to protect us from FPV drones.

I felt pain and awe at the same time, and promised myself to do even more. I was also filled up by people on that trip: my team, the soldiers, and how sincerely happy they were to see us. When we come, they feel they're not alone, and that there are people behind them who remember them. That matters so much.

Besides the report, we visited our friends and brought them small things: power banks, flashlights, multitools, electric screwdrivers. Watching them light up like kids over these little things, I couldn't stop smiling.

These are exactly the kinds of small requests we're closing in our Defenders' Week campaign. They're not expensive enough for a big fundraiser, but for soldiers, they make every day a little easier.

I came back with my heart full, and with a long list of small things our friends at the front still need. If you'd like to help us close one of them, you can donate with the "no preference" option: https://dzygaspaw.com/defenders-day-2026 🤍

10/01/2026

Have you ever thought about the question many Ukrainians quietly ask themselves: is it even okay to feel joy while the war goes on?

We asked our defenders. Here's what they said 👇🏻

Mike: "Most Ukrainians are still civilians, and we're fighting so they can feel free and live a normal life. When I get a few weeks at home, I want to see that this life still exists, the one we want to come back to. Happiness hasn't gone, it has just changed".

Pikachu: "Yes, I kinda stop myself from being too cheerful, because someone I knew will never have a cheerful moment again, and somewhere on the front line there are heavy fights right now. But I still find small moments, and today it's a cup of tea and a piece of chocolate."

Dan: "I'm quite a joyful person. My girl, my brothers in arms, good sleep, good coffee, saving someone's life, all of it brings me joy. In war, you either fight or work for those who fight. Either way, try to be as joyful as you can, but practice remembrance and gratitude."

Vasylina: "People here aren't just friends, they're family I can rely on. When volunteers visit us, there's always so much fun and so many smiles. I'm happy every time we make a small step toward victory. And when I drive with music so loud I can't hear the drones."

Jumbo: "There's a lot of sadness here, and I've lost people who became really close to me. But we can feel happiness no matter what's happening outside. If we all keep some light inside us and share it with each other, it helps us get through anything."

Zelandiya: "Is there room for joy when war is raging? Yes. I find it in defending our homes, in doing what I do best, in giving everything I have today. It's not a cliché, it's real strength. We have to let ourselves be happy, because we still have tomorrow."

Many of the joys they told us about are simple: coming back safe, being warm, calling home and knowing their combat friends are okay. That's what the small requests are about: Starlinks, generators and gear that help soldiers do their job and come home.

This Defenders Day, you've already helped us close 4 of 39 parcels to our heroes. Next up: drone supplies and a tablet.

If you'd like to support them, donate any amount with the "no preference" option: https://dzygaspaw.com/defenders-day-2026

Thank you!

10/01/2026

Today is Defenders Day in Ukraine.

Truth is, we wish there were no need for it. This day exists because russia invaded in 2014. We dream of a life with no war, no need to defend against such evil.

But here we are. For almost 13 years, our defenders have been holding the line.

But for us, every day is Defenders Day.

This week, we put our big projects aside to close small requests from soldiers. You’ve already raised $14,606 and closed 3 of 39 parcels.

Next up: Starlinks for Mahno. Donate with the „no preference” option via the link in bio or stories.

09/30/2026

"How many more months can Sloviansk hold?"

That's what our director Iryna asked a soldier from the 30th Brigade when we brought him EcoFlows and Starlinks worth $3,045.

Sloviansk is a city near the front line in eastern Ukraine, Donbas. The answer is here:

09/30/2026

"Got it, thanks. God bless you and your work." That's what soldiers usually say when I have to tell them no.

Hi, I'm Yura, and I handle logistics at Dzyga's Paw. I'm usually the one soldiers text and call when they need something. So that's what I've noticed. 👇🏻

Soldiers know better than anyone what they need. My job is to figure out where to buy it, how much it costs, and when we can deliver or ship it. Since the start of this year, our team has sent or delivered 216 parcels. Think about it, that's almost one every day!

These small parcels go straight to the people we talk to. They get the gear, use it on combat missions, and then send us videos of the results.

Over time, I've become real friends with some of them. Some calls have nothing to do with gear: how are you, how are the kids, what your wife said, where they're going on leave, what they want to do with their lives after the war.

That's why it's so hard for me to tell them "please wait." Even though we send out parcels almost every day, there are about 38 small requests in our queue right now. And they're not just rows in a spreadsheet. I know these people by name, and I know how they're doing.

Some of them wrote to us back in the summer. They don't remind us, they don't push, they just wait.

And every few days, I have to say no to someone new. The hardest part is that they almost never get upset. They just thank us and tell us to hang in there. Honestly, you never get used to that.

This week, for Defenders Day, we've put our big projects aside to close exactly these requests. Thanks to you, the first parcel is already closed, and the second one is in progress. I really want to call more soldiers this week with the news "done, it's on its way."

You can see every request on our website, and you can donate here with "no preference option": https://dzygaspaw.com/defenders-day-2026

Dzyga's Paw

10/08/2026

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10/06/2026

10/05/2026

10/02/2026

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