Ron Carter’s Speech at the Denver State Capitol

February 24, 2024

Introduction

Last September, I collected the belongings of my deceased and injured teammates in Eastern Ukraine. A week later, I was working outside of Avdiivka, assisting members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Esteemed members of Congress, українці а українки, friends, and my fellow Americans: It is an honor to speak to you today. Thank you for this opportunity. My name is Ron Carter. I am an American volunteer for Ukraine. After five trips to Ukraine, I have experienced the barbarity of Russia’s evil invasion. Over the last two years, I have sought to assist Ukraine in any way I could.

February 24, 2022

The night of February 24th, 2022, is one I vividly remember. I will never forget how the urgency of the matter consumed me. The largest humanitarian crisis since World War Two began to unfold before us. An estimated 7 million women, children, and elderly would soon be leaving for the safety of host nations around the world. Many of you here today are safely here, thankfully, having left Ukraine during this life-changing time two years ago.

My Involvement

Seven days after the start of the full-scale invasion, I boarded an airplane with two suitcases full of Individual First Aid Kits. Without knowing a single person in Ukraine, I flew to Warsaw and joined a Ukrainian-American who was delivering supplies to Ukraine. Oleg knew many people in Ukraine and still had family there. I was delighted to join him and begin working towards Ukraine’s victory. 

I took my first steps in Ukraine in the early morning hours of March 7th, 2022. At the time, the Polish border guard was overwhelmed. 3km away from the border, Polish guards stopped us and told us that we would never come back if we entered Ukraine. My friend Oleg and I had already made up our minds. I spoke for us both, telling the Border Guard forcefully, “We are going that way!”

I would return for another supply trip in April ‘22, visiting Kyiv for the first time, shortly after Ukraine had secured its victory there. I returned in June and July ’22 and spent those two months doing much more. I completed a combat medic course in Kyiv and assisted in teaching another.

In October 2022, I returned for another supply trip. I spent my time in Kharkiv oblast. I was then introduced to the new sport of standing atop recently captured Russian tanks, artillery, and air defense systems southeast of Kupyansk. This particular victory for Ukraine was intoxicating. Ukrainian soldiers joked with me that the American lend/lease program was very poor, because the “Russian lend/lease” had supplied them with so much more.

After stopping the Russians from taking Kyiv and liberating areas of Eastern Ukraine, we all began anticipating similar victories. That would change in the winter of last year as the Russians began to adapt and started using what they had the most of: bodies. 

The Empire Strikes Back

The Russian counter-offensive in the Winter of last year horrified all of us. The assault and capture of Bakhmut reminded us of the “meat waves” of World War two, where the Red Army used men as bullet sponges, depleting their enemy of ammunition in order to become victorious. I had two friends killed in Bakhmut in January 2023. 

In June of 2023, I arrived in Ukraine for my longest trip yet, spending just shy of six months working there in many capacities. I arrived just in time to evacuate civilians from Kherson after the Nova Kokhova dam was destroyed by Russian forces. I would spend July and August teaching Ukrainian soldiers Tactical Combat Casualty Care and Small Arms.

In August, I worked in Kramatorsk, Slovayansk, and Izyium. Unfortunately, we all noticed that the next Ukrainian counter-offensive had stalled. My friend Artem would have his Bradley Fighting Vehicle disabled, himself later wounded, and members of his crew killed as they were forced to dismount their disabled Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Artem has since made a full recovery and wanted me to thank you. He insisted that I tell you that he completed many successful missions with his Bradley and slayed a large number of enemy forces. 

The “Failed” Offensive

Today, many say that Ukraine's counter-offensive failed. While they are correct that it did not produce similar results as the Kyiv and Kharkiv offensives, failed is not a word that I feel entirely applies. Without a doubt, the lack of progress was sobering at best and depressing at worst. Still, the 2023 counter-offensive had produced a foothold in the South and on the Left bank of the Dnipro. Don’t forget that in the Black Sea, the Russian navy now has a sizeable fleet of ships that have been promoted to submarines. 

Unfortunately, on land, the Russian army learned from their previous mistakes and prevented the Ukrainian Armed Forces from making large-scale victories. Many people were left wondering why this was. For many, including myself, the answer is clear: Ukraine does not possess and cannot replenish enough relevant weapons and ammunition. A combined-arms offensive without combined arms does not work. 31 Abrams tanks cannot defeat the entire russian army. Neither will a small squadron of F-16s nor will the other piecemeal provisions yet given to Ukraine. It must be more. It must be now.

Where Ukraine has been and where it will go

Although we remember this day as the anniversary of russia’s invasion, we must be reminded that Ukraine has been in this fight for a decade. Ukraine's military has done what no other nation could: They have been and continue to fight the next World War alone. When faced with certain death, they have persevered. They improvise, adapt, and overcome. The least that America can do is give them every weapon and shell they need.

Unfortunately, the needs of Ukraine are not understood by the West or our fellow Americans. The disparity between what Ukraine has received and what Ukraine exhausts is gravely misunderstood.

No doubt, the supplies and aid from the West have been crucial. However, these arms and ammunition have come far too little, too late. Russia is capitalizing on this fact. Instead of the war being a firm Ukrainian victory as it should have been in 2022, the current sustainment of arms and ammunition is disastrously low. The loss of Avdiivka one week ago now serves as an example of what lies ahead if America does not supply the relevant and proportional arms and ammunition to Ukraine. 

Let me assure you of one fact if you learn nothing else from me today: The consequence of failing to give Ukraine everything it needs now, at this crucial moment in history, will be exponentially more disastrous, destructive, and expensive for America and many more innocent people will die in the process.

Volunteers

Volunteers understand this and continue to make many sacrifices. Like most volunteers, my finances are often the most challenging logistics. So many of my friends and family have supported me, and I am incredibly grateful to them, but please understand that volunteers rely on your support.

My friend Rebecca Maciorowski has been working as a combat medic in Ukraine without a break for over 18 months. She begs for trauma medical items and quality individual first aid kits. She even has a fantastic means of procurement in Ukraine, which is faster than Amazon's 2-day shipping. Nova Poshta is awesome.

My friend Lila and her team of Ukrainian volunteers visit wounded soldiers in the hospital. They bring gifts, snacks, and entertainment to so many men and women with now-life-changing injuries and amputations. They need your support as this heartbreaking number of injured warriors continues to rise.

I could spend hours telling you about more amazing volunteers: Many are here with us today.

I am always happy to see Ukrainians of Colorado, Sunflower Seeds Ukraine, Ukrainian Aid Fund, and more. These are all Non-Governmental Organizations that are local to our Colorful state. They accomplish so many amazing things while having limited resources. If you cannot support them monetarily, please help them spread awareness, especially through social media.

Call to Action

At this very moment, you can help everyone with no cost to you except a little of your time.

Call the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, and tell him to put the Ukraine aid bill on the floor.

I would encourage you, however, not to merely ask our government to help Ukraine; instead, ask yourself, “What can I do to help Ukraine?”

Closing Thoughts 

Many people ask me when I believe the war will be over. I tell them that it should have been over in 2022. 

Ukraine's fighting spirit and determination will never end, but their arms, ammunition, and tools needed to secure victory will. We cannot merely hope Russia will stop; Russia must be stopped.

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

Thank you for being here.

God Bless America, and God Bless Ukraine.

слава україні.