Welsh miners have maintained close ties with their Ukrainian colleagues for several decades. When miners in South Wales protested against the closure of mines in their region 40 years ago, miners from Ukraine supported them and helped the miners’ families. Now, when Ukrainian miners are fighting the russian occupiers, Welsh miners, parliament members, and trade unionists are bringing them the necessary assistance. With the support of the local community, they are raising funds and buying four-wheel drive vehicles. They are also loaded with drones, medicines, seasonal uniforms, and other items purchased or collected for donations—and which are desperately needed by our military.
The South Wales Miners’ Federation plays a key role in this. From Wales, almost 3,000 km, the Welsh travel across Europe to Ukraine by car. They stop in Pavlohrad in the Dnipropetrovsk region or Kyiv or Lviv. The vehicles with valuable cargo are handed over to the military there.
On the third anniversary of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, this is the 12th volunteer trip. It is led by Mykhailo Antoniv, a member of parliament and former Prosecutor General of Wales. Mykhailo is a long-time and loyal friend of our country. For his significant personal contribution to strengthening Ukraine’s international authority, developing interstate cooperation, and fruitful public activity, he was awarded the Order of Merit, 3rd class.
Together with Antoniv came Chris Kitchen, General Secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers of Great Britain; Wayne Thomas, Vice-President of the National Union of Mineworkers of Great Britain; Alun Davies, member of the Welsh Parliament; Carwyn Donovan, Chief Negotiator of the BECTU (Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union), a former miner; volunteers and trade unionists Ian and Donna Michaelis, Peter Clancy.
After handing over the valuable cargo to the Ukrainian military, the Welsh volunteers visited the War Museum. They were primarily interested in the exhibition "Ukraine – Crucifixion" as a collection of testimonies of russian aggression. "In February 2025, our organization, Senedd4Ukraine, had the honor of visiting the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War. Memorial complex. The Museum’s employees not only document the atrocities of the russian occupiers, providing evidence for future tribunals, they constantly remind visitors that the occupation of any territory is temporary. I am convinced Ukraine will liberate all its regions," said Carwyn Donovan.
Impressed by what they saw, the guests expressed a desire to visit other exhibition projects of the Museum. Peter Clancy shared his impressions: "The War Museum in Kyiv is on the must-see list. Fantastic curatorial work with detailed exhibits covering both the period of World War II and the current russian-Ukrainian war. Artifacts that you will not see anywhere else. Simply amazing."
The Museum team is sincerely grateful to the South Wales Miners’ Federation and its volunteers for supporting the Ukrainian people and their troops.
