The Amsterdam church was completely filled. About 450 visitors listened to the piano sounds, which contributed to support for Ukrainian soldiers.
For the young pianists Ivan Petrenko (17), Sofiia Dorosh (17) and Yulianna Beziazychna (11) it was not just any concert. They wanted to support their homeland with their piano playing. “I played two special preludes by the Ukrainian composer Levko Revutsky. The most important thing for me is to support my homeland and help our soldiers win this war. Of course, I will also participate in similar concerts in the future,” said Petrenko.
Convoys to the front
The concert was organized by Protect Ukraine. Writer Jaap Scholten is the founder of the foundation. He and his girlfriend started offering help shortly after the Russian invasion in 2022.
It is now Protect Ukraine grown into a large organization. It raises money for life-saving medical equipment, ambulances and vehicles for the Ukrainian army. The foundation often brings the items to the front itself in convoys.
“We have now also purchased an aircraft. This will disable reconnaissance drones and the so-called ‘Shahed drones’, which cause death and destruction mainly among civilians. We only do things that are defensive,” says Scholten.