Philanthropy has been a global trend for decades, resulting in many useful initiatives that allow wealthy people to play their part in making this world a better place. But for millions of Ukrainians today, philanthropy has taken an entirely new role lately. As of late February 2022, when the Russian army openly invaded Ukraine’s national borders, killing thousands of civilians in the process, the whole nation united toward a common goal of resisting the aggressor.
Some people, however, have invested in developing innovative projects in Ukraine even before the war. For years now, Ukrainian entrepreneur and investor Max Polyakov has supported numerous space projects in his home country. Since the first day of a full-scale war, he contributed over eight million dollars to various tech causes aimed at protecting Ukrainian lives and alleviating the consequences of war.
Why is Philanthropy So Important During War?
Before the war, Max Polyakov’s primary focus was on restoring Ukraine to its former space glory. As an owner of several tech companies, he always made a point for supporting Ukrainian talent, making sure young people get a chance to pursue STEM careers.
To this end, Maxym Polyakov established a non-profit organization Noosphere Association in 2016. Noosphere monitored various projects aimed at motivating Ukrainian teens to pursue careers in space by mastering STEM sciences. Potentially, inspiring a new generation of engineers would boost the development of the Ukrainian space sector.
However, when on February 24th, Russian troops invaded Ukraine, and it became clear that a new philanthropic focus was necessary. Fortunately, Max Polyakov did not stand alone in this endeavor as millions of people united towards helping Ukraine fight the aggressor. Volunteering in Ukraine reached an unprecedented level as politicians, celebrities, large and small business owners, along with their employees, started donating to various foundations helping both the Army and the civilian victims of war.
Many of the newly-established foundations, some of them also sponsored by Max Polyakov, purchase necessary equipment for the military, boosting the army defenses and providing intelligence. After all, besides the contract Army, many volunteers — both men and women — joined the Armed Forces, and countless more civilians remained in cities under Russian fire. This means that a new philanthropic effort is necessary to save lives and draw Ukrainian victory closer.
How Max Polyakov Contributes to Ukrainian Victory
Within the first week of the invasion, Max Polyakov insisted that his company EOS Data Analytics (EOSDA), provide satellite imagery of Ukraine and Eastern Europe to help defend Ukrainian national borders. He also asked other European satellite providers to do the same because, at the time of the invasion, Ukraine did not have its satellite intelligence services. Thanks to this initiative, Ukrainian Armed Forces now have access to the most relevant reconnaissance from space.
In March, a couple of weeks after the invasion, Polyakov donated a million dollars to TAPS-Ukraine, a charity foundation helping relocated victims of war and organizing humanitarian missions. As millions of people were suddenly forced from their homes, TAPS made sure to cover some of their most pressing needs.
Maxym Polyakov donated another million dollars in April — this time, to Serhiy Prytula Foundation, aimed at helping both victims of war and Ukrainian military defenders. This same foundation, established by the Ukrainian politician, purchased an ICEYE satellite to cover the intelligence needs of the Army. According to Prytula, Max Polyakov assisted in the purchase, offering technical guidance and ensuring the deal went without delay. As of now, the so-called ‘Prytula’s satellite’ is the only example of a spacecraft bought with the help of donations from millions of concerned Ukrainians.
Further Ambitions to Help Ukraine
As a space tech entrepreneur, Max Polyakov has always advocated for developing the aerospace sector, which was clear enough even before the war. Now, however, modern technologies are even more vital for Ukraine because they shield lives and protect people fighting for their country’s freedom and independence.
One of Max Polyakov’s most prominent contributions to the military tech sector is his 100-million UAH (approximately $2,700,000) transfer to the Army of Drones intelligence initiative from the Ukrainian government. Besides, Polyakov also purchased a hundred anti-drone weapons from Kyiv company Kvertus. The anti-drone systems can disable enemy UAVs remotely, at an approximately 3-mile distance, ensuring Russian drones cannot drop their explosives or gain any intelligence on the Ukrainian troops’ locations.
Max Polyakov believes that technology should be used to make our lives better and, in the case of today’s Ukraine, to preserve as many lives as possible. The space entrepreneur keeps supporting his compatriots through various initiatives while his non-profit organization Noosphere searches for new ways to boost the army defenses and help civilians who suffered in this war.
