KYIV, Ukraine — The Tampa-based nonprofit evacuating people from Ukraine has confirmed Wednesday that three more of its buses crossed safely into Romania and were headed for Bucharest.
That means more than 60 people, as well as a dog and cat, have now been exfiltrated by Project DYNAMO aboard a total of five different buses since Russia invaded on Feb. 24.
According to a news release, the evacuees include citizens of the United States, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Romania and Afghanistan. Project DYNAMO volunteers with combat experience guided them along the 18-hour journey across Ukraine, as Russian forces continued to attack the country.
The three latest buses arrived at a border checkpoint around 8 a.m. ET Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Project DYNAMO said the organization was already conducting a sixth rescue mission for a group of evacuees that includes a pregnant woman and a child.
Since the invasion began, about 2,000 people — including hundreds of Americans — have contacted Project DYNAMO to ask for help getting out of Ukraine. Many of those needing assistance are elderly people or children.
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, too.
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.
Organizers say they're committed to rescuing Americans and our allies from dangerous situations around the globe. To learn more about the nonprofit Project DYNAMO and to find donation information, click here.