LOCAL NEWS

Utah entrepreneur spearheads humanitarian mission to Ukraine

Jun 2, 2022, 9:53 PM | Updated: Jun 3, 2022, 5:15 am

...

PROVO, Utah — As Russia refuses to relent in Ukraine, a Utah entrepreneur and his foundation have embarked on a humanitarian mission that is taking a group right into the warzone.

In recent weeks, Kris Krohn and his non-profit Krohn Breakthrough Foundation launched “Operation Breakthrough” with the hopes of placing medical supplies in the hands of those who need them most.

On Wednesday morning at the Provo airport, he said the group was transporting roughly $1 million in tourniquets, trauma kits, defibrillators and other supplies via planes that had been donated to the cause.

The plan, Krohn said, was to fly into Poland and then hand-deliver the supplies across the border with the careful consultation of a security contractor.

 

“We really just feel called to help the people there,” Krohn said during an interview with KSL 5.

He said his foundation pledged and then matched $250,000 for the mission, which has pulled in large and small donations from across the country.

“I think there’s a lot of world governments that are afraid to get involved because no one wants a world war, but we want to know how we can help, we want to know how we can support and there’s just been an outpouring of donations from people everywhere and it’s been really, really beautiful.”

Several people flew out on the mission, which was expected to last roughly a week and reach some of the region’s hardest-hit areas.

“We wanted to do something more than watch what’s happening on TV,” said Lidia Karasinska, a native of Poland who already traveled to Ukraine earlier this year to help people evacuate.

Nick Marietta helped by donating the use of a plane to the effort.

“I feel like this is a great way to give back and help all the people get supplies there,” he said.

Krohn said he felt personally motivated by the history of his own family.

“My father is a World War II refugee,” Krohn explained, saying they lived in an area now part of Poland. “My grandma who saved my father as a child—she was shot twice and left for dead, her sister was executed, her father was executed and there’s such a heavy history for us there.”

Krohn said that history came back to haunt his father when he learned of a new Russian invasion into Ukraine.

“My father, when he started seeing the war in Ukraine on the television, it just depressed him, it hit him so hard and just brought up a lot of childhood memories and so, you know, honestly, it just felt like the right thing to do,” Krohn said of the humanitarian mission.

Those close to Krohn told KSL that as of earlier Thursday, he and his group were in Poland near the Ukrainian border, where they observed a number of NATO soldiers, including those from the U.S.

“We’re really focused on choosing the safest routes possible but at the same time really trying to help the people where they’re at with the needs that they have,” Krohn said.

Krohn on Wednesday said his foundation was already planning additional missions to Ukraine and was continuing to fundraise for that cause.

“We’re just trying to keep them alive and help them stay in the fight and hopefully keep their country,” Krohn said.

KSL 5 TV Live

Local News

Man being taken on stretcher to an ambulance figures blurred...

Lauren Steinbrecher

West Jordan man trying ‘to be funny’ allegedly shot and killed best friend

Investigators believe a joke between friends turned into the shooting death of a West Jordan man. The fatal mistake is also turning into a message police hope every gun owner can hear.

10 hours ago

Matt Gephardt meeting with Denis Hawkins after a rental car company after they ignored his calls fo...

Matt Gephardt

Get Gephardt helps Spanish Fork man clear up insurance claim for rental car damage

Get Gephardt clears up an international rental car insurance standstill.

11 hours ago

small housing units...

Debbie Worthen

Utah’s micro-shelter pilot program gets extension to help homeless

A micro-shelter pilot program will stay in place for at least six more months.

11 hours ago

A trench used for training a team of firefighters to be a part of Utah County's Special Response Te...

Shelby Lofton

Heavy Rescue school students respond to real-life emergency during trench collapse training

A team of firefighter students training to be on a Special Response Team rescued a man buried in a trench collapse the week they'd been studying trenches.

11 hours ago

The Cache County Council took up the e-mail controversy...

Mike Anderson

A single text stirs political fallout in Cache County election

A text message is blowing up into a whole lot of political fallout in Cache County.

12 hours ago

A map shows where the Chief Toquer reservoir will connect to the Ash Creek Reservoir....

Cary Schwanitz

Feds pour $7 million into southern Utah water pipeline project

A project to build a new pipeline that will run from the Ash Creek Reservoir to the Chief Toquer Reservoir received $7 million from the bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

12 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

Utah entrepreneur spearheads humanitarian mission to Ukraine