Earlier this autumn, the Ministry meant for Foreign Affairs issued the call for winter equipment for that armed forces of Ukraine. This particular equipment, along with medical supplies, was transported today using a Canadian military transport aircraft to Ukraine. The shipment also contains 3500 pairs of wool socks woven by Icelanders for Ukraine as part of the “Sendum hlýju” task and other wool garments knitted or donated by Icelandic and Ukrainian knitters at knitters’ gatherings. Additionally , the Ministry purchased cold weather clothes and shoes from Fjallakofinn, 66°N and Dynjandi for close to 50 million ISK, with an actual value of about 150 million. Nine tons of Icelandic warmth were aboard the Canadian military transport airplane that left Keflavik Airport terminal headed for Ukraine today. The cargo consists of winter season equipment for the armed forces as well as the people of Ukraine. On the other hand this equipment is the result of non-reflex work made by thousands of Icelanders, and on the other hand purchases of various winter supplies from the Ministry for Foreign Matters.
“We owe gratitude to everybody involved in sending all this friendliness to Ukraine today. I would like to mention the companies with whom we have had good cooperation, the Coast Guard which has handled the logistics and the Canadian Air Force which usually transports the shipment in order to its destination. And finally the crocheters and knitters in Iceland deserve special thanks for showing their qualified in such a tangible way, ” says Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gísladóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Staff from the Icelandic Coast Guard packed the goods this past weekend and placed them on pallets that were then packed aboard the Canadian army transport in the secure area at Keflavik Airport. In addition to the Minister for Foreign Matters, representatives of “Sendum hlýju” and the knitters’ gathering had been present, as well as Jeannette Menzies, Ambassador of Canada in Iceland.
“The cold hand of winter is usually slowly extending over Ukraine and as we have seen the particular invading Russian forces are utilizing it as a weapon in the ongoing conflict. As a country without a military, we are not able to supply the Ukrainian armed forces along with military equipment, but we can send them warm clothing which is no less important around the bitterly cold battlefield compared to conventional weapons, ” says Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gísladóttir, Minister for Foreign Matters.
