"I've Already Donated Over $2 Million to the Army, but That’s Not the Main Point"

Before the Russian-Ukrainian war, millionaire Yurii  Sapronov ranked among Kharkiv’s top 10 business people, according to Forbes, with ventures in hotel management and  ownership of a large golf club. He was also an early investor  in Elina Svitolina, now one of the world’s top tennis players,  supporting her career from her teenage years. Despite  ongoing shelling of Kharkiv, a city near the Russian border  and home to over a million people, Sapronov continues to  live there, even after a guided aerial bomb hit his house.  Fortunately, no one was injured, and six cats were saved  from the fire.

Currently a co-owner of a small IT company, Sapronov is  spending his savings on aid for the Ukrainian army and  civilians. Here’s his story in his own words: 

"On the second day after the full-scale invasion, the first  refugees arrived at my five-star hotel in Kharkiv, and within  24 hours, there were more than a hundred. We took  everyone in and provided them with all they needed for  several months. I first felt scared on February 26, 2022,  when I saw civilian bodies near the subway. Later, a Russian  sabotage and reconnaissance group broke into Kharkiv,  which our military thankfully managed to defeat.

For a grueling week, my team and I transported hundreds of  people from the North Saltivka district, which suffered heavily  from shelling. We also delivered bread, as Russian forces  had destroyed large bakeries. I now know my Toyota can  carry 300 loaves. In the early days, I donated two of my cars  to the military and eventually bought them 13 more. When I  urgently needed cash for the army, wine helped out—I had accumulated thousands of bottles in my cellar and managed  to sell them for over $400,000 in these past two and a half  years. I also sold my Porsche 911; it was a great car. Everyone does what they can. Sometimes, when I receive  military care packages with just two pairs of socks, some  chocolate, or a single shovel from a pensioner, I feel  overwhelmed with emotion. I now allow myself to cry. I've  contributed over $2 million of my own money to the military.

My business is nearly inactive; I draw from reserves, which  still have a bit left. Trust is key for me. For instance, business  friends sent 24 vehicles with the note, 'Transfer it to the  military.' That means much more to me than money. In July, the Russian army dropped a 250-kg aerial bomb on  my house, and the fire rose 12 meters high. We thought our  17-year-old British cat hadn’t survived, but a miracle  happened days later: she appeared outside, bedraggled but  alive. Perhaps it sounds cliché, but I was most upset about  the 19 flags from military units I support that were lost in the  fire. Fortunately, the soldiers have since brought me new  ones. 

I'm already rebuilding the house, and once it’s done, I plan to  hang a banner depicting Putin and directions for the Russian army’s retreat. I won’t leave Kharkiv—they can forget about that. 

When the full-scale invasion began, several acquaintances,  including Russian State Duma deputies and a Russian  mayor, messaged me, saying they wanted to 'save' us. Each  was dismissed in under 30 seconds. Only one, a former  Russian minister, expressed shame and asked for  forgiveness on behalf of his family. I also ended  communication with relatives living in Russia. 

Kharkiv residents live on adrenaline, but you can’t get used  to this. The city has 1.2 million residents; someone dies from  shelling every day, and people are exhausted from the terror.  Russia targets Kharkiv with S-300 and ballistic missiles,  which strike in seconds, so no air defense system can  respond. That’s why it’s crucial to either destroy or push  back Russian launch systems with long-range missiles that  our allies have yet to supply us with. 

Statements of ‘deep concern’ will only lead Russia to  advance, perhaps targeting the Suwalki corridor along the  Lithuanian-Polish border. We’ll see how Article 5 of NATO is  applied then. If the Baltic states had ATACMS and NASAMS,  they’d likely send them to us—they understand Russia can  only be stopped by force."