KYIV, Ukraine — Tampa-based Project DYNAMO says its team just finished "a dangerous mission" to rescue three premature babies from Ukraine, which remains under attack from Russian invaders.
Project DYNAMO arranged for an ambulance with incubators to move the twin American baby boys and a British baby girl. The combat veteran-led nonprofit escorted the ambulance safely Monday from Kyiv to a hospital in Rzeszow, Poland. There, relatives and members of the British and U.S. Consular service waited to greet them.
"While departing, the capitol [sic] city of Kyiv was being shelled by Russian artillery within earshot of the hospital," a Project DYNAMO spokesperson wrote in a statement.
As Project DYNAMO evacuation experts protected the group, two doctors, a nurse, two neonatal specialists and a Ukrainian ambulance crew monitored every aspect of the infants' health.
"Two Ukrainian women and a British couple were also rescued and safely evacuated during the mission," Project DYNAMO added.
So far, the organization has rescued about 150 people during 14 missions across Ukraine.
More than 14,000 requests for evacuations have been received by the nonprofit, with many of the requests asking for help for children and elderly people. Members of Ukraine's Jewish community have also been asking for assistance, the organization said.
While President Joe Biden had previously urged Americans to leave Ukraine before the invasion, not everyone could. And, the U.S. State Department has maintained that it will not be able to help with evacuating Americans at this point.
So, the Tampa nonprofit stepped up. Project DYNAMO team members have been on the ground in Ukraine since January, carefully planning for the inevitable. As Russian forces entered Ukraine, the organization kicked its plans into motion.
While all this is going on, Project DYNAMO is still helping to rescue people from Afghanistan and conducting operations in Central Asia, too.
"The organization is made up of volunteers, many of which are current and former members of the U.S. military, who have worked extensively as a part of and with the special operations and intelligence communities," Project DYNAMO said.
Those requesting evacuations are encouraged to sign up for the State Department's STEP program. They can fill out an evacuation request form with Project DYNAMO by clicking here.
Project DYNAMO gets its name from "Operation Dynamo," which was the codename used for the Dunkirk civilian evacuation effort during WWII. The modern DYNAMO effort is privately-run and funded by donations.
You can click here to learn more about Project DYNAMO and ways to support the group.