KOSICE, Slovakia — Yurii Panchenko, who fled Ukraine together with his spouse and solely daughter hours after the primary Russian missile exploded close to his home, has begun elevating funds by way of his Ukrainian mountain bike enterprise, providing excursions in and round Kyiv by way of Airbnb.
There aren’t any precise excursions going down, as Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, continues to face indiscriminate missile strikes and shelling by the Russian army. However cash, which will probably be used to help the Ukrainian protection, retains flowing into Panchenko’s account.
“Folks from everywhere in the world have booked excursions for a number of months forward simply to help us,” Panchenko mentioned, including, “Aside from Russians. We haven’t had bookings from there but.”
Earlier than the conflict, Panchenko’s excursions have been referred to as “Mountain Biking In Kyiv” and the enterprise had about one request per week. He renamed them “Assist Ukrainian Army Mountain Bike Excursions in Kyiv” and demand flew off the chart. The concept got here a couple of days in the past, with a reserving request for a motorcycle tour on a day when bombs have been falling on the Ukrainian capital.
“First, I didn’t perceive. Then I learn a be aware from the client, the place they mentioned they didn’t wish to take the tour and so they simply needed to help us,” Panchenko, who’s now residing together with his household in Vienna, Austria, mentioned.
Since then, he’s had greater than 500 excursions booked, elevating greater than $15,000, regardless of dropping his costs to make the symbolic journey extra reasonably priced.
Panchenko is one in all many Airbnb hosts in Ukraine utilizing the platform to lift cash. Greater than 14,300 Airbnb Experiences have been booked in Urkaine within the week previous to March 9, the corporate advised ABC News.
Hosts acquired about $360,000 in the identical time interval, the corporate mentioned. Airbnb earlier this month introduced it was quickly waiving visitor and host charges for bookings in Ukraine.
“We’re so humbled by the inspiring generosity of our group throughout this second of disaster,” mentioned Haven Thorn, an organization spokesperson.
Whereas there isn’t any option to know the way recipients use the donations, Airbnb mentioned it is “actively evaluating” the listings in Ukraine to “detect and deter fraudulent exercise.”
“The overwhelming majority or most of our hosts are on a regular basis individuals sharing the house wherein they dwell,” Thorn mentioned. “Folks contemplating reserving to donate also can take a look at a Host’s profile to see what number of listings they’ve and verify the historical past of opinions on the itemizing to see how lengthy the itemizing has been energetic.”
The bike mechanic from Kyiv mentioned he has used the cash to purchase gasoline and drugs in help of evacuation efforts in Ukraine. He mentioned he additionally bought a particular thermal digital camera value about $1,700 for one in all Ukraine’s elite army items.
“We’re additionally planning to ship the troops different particular gadgets, physique armours and helmets,” Panchenko added.
Panchenko mentioned his household has barely something to spare, but they’re not planning to maintain any of the Airbnb proceeds for his or her private use. They fled to Vienna by way of Romania on a four-day journey, having packed a single bag of garments and necessities whereas carrying lower than a thousand {dollars}. They managed to seek out free non permanent lodging and help within the Austrian capital, the place Panchenko now works as a motorcycle mechanic in a restore store.
“We’ll be right here for no less than three weeks. We’re faring significantly better than different households who’re nonetheless caught in Ukraine. We’re attempting to assist these in want as a lot as we will,” Panchenko mentioned.
Panchenko’s household house is close to town airport in Kyiv, however when the primary Russian cruise missiles hit dangerously shut, they have been gone in quarter-hour, he mentioned. They hopped into their automotive and headed off early within the morning.
“We have been really prepared for one thing like this to occur and had some necessities pre-packed. However we by no means anticipated ballistic missiles to be raining down on us,” Panchenko mentioned.
He managed to flee together with his household earlier than Ukraine banned all males aged 18-60 from leaving the nation and began conscripting them into the army.
“I’m not a army man and I knew I might be helpful from elsewhere, like sending assist from overseas,” Panchenko mentioned.
Panchenko mentioned his household has no discernible plan for the long run.
“We’re presently residing within the second. We don’t know what’s going to occur to us subsequent week,” Panchenko mentioned.
He desires to return to Ukraine together with his household as soon as the conflict is over and rebuild his life, he mentioned.
“But when they’ll want me to return and struggle, I’ll be prepared,” he mentioned.
