When Russian troops surrounded the city of Sumy at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, life came to a standstill. Only a few pharmacies were open. There was not enough bread. Gas stations ran out of gasoline, and cars disappeared from the streets. Then, a group of people who used to organize bicycle races in Sumy before the war rushed to the aid of elderly residents who could no longer cope due to illness or isolation.

The people on bikes were ready to help, and joined forces with the local chapter of the Red Cross. They became a bicycle squad that delivered food and medicine while  military fighting was taking place on the outskirts of Sumy.

They continue to volunteer today and call themselves ‘crusaders on wheels.’

You can read the story in text right here.

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The podcast is part of the project «De-occupied: stories of the liberated territories.» Supported by the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Kyiv office, Ukraine.