According to the House of Ukraine in Balboa Park, there are an estimated 15,000 Ukrainian refugee families in San Diego County.
Many of them hope the New Year will bring an end to the war with Russia which reaches a fourth anniversary in February. Drone attacks this month have destroyed some ambulances used in the war zone.
“They (Russia) hit anything that moves. They know that wounded soldiers will be transported in these vehicles. For them, though it is a civilian vehicle, they treat it as a military target,” said Mira Rubin, president of Shield of Freedom. The San Diego non-profit organization continues to send medical supplies, equipment, and other support to Ukraine.
The “Wheels of Hope” campaign is a fundraiser to replace ambulances and medical vehicles lost in combat. Rubin said, “a new ambulance costs $10,000 to $20,000 depending on how it is outfitted.”
According to the organization’s website, “reliable medical transport saves lives, preserves limbs, and gives the injured a fighting chance to survive.”
Shield of Freedom
Shield of Freedom
This is one of the medical transport vehicles destroyed by a Russian drone attack in the Ukraine war zone. A replacement ambulance costs as much as \$20,000.
The local grassroots campaign continued with no expectation or consideration for the meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Trump scheduled in Florida, Sunday.
“People are actually talking about Ukraine, remembering this is the fourth year of the war. Maybe somewhere mentioning that Russia is losing this war. That’s not what Putin is trying to communicate,” Rubin told NBC 7.
Members of the Ukrainian army have sent back to San Diego video messages of appreciation. One solider said, “Thank you for equipment which keeps us alive, and helps us protect what we value most, our families.”
Donations can be made through the Shield of Freedom website.
Mira Rubin, president of Shield of Freedom, shows a jacket she was gifted by a Ukrainian soldier, December 28, 2025.