In the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Cosmopolis founder Anastasia Piliavsky launched a Direct Aid initiative to respond to Ukraine’s most urgent, unmet needs. Based between Cambridge and Odessa, and drawing on her deep personal and professional networks, she coordinated fast, targeted relief to individuals, medics, and volunteer groups in the hardest-hit regions — from Kherson and Kharkiv to Kyiv and Odessa.
Her work was endorsed by historian Timothy Snyder:
My colleague, the social anthropologist Dr. Anastasia Piliavsky, continues to do excellent work through her Direct Aid for Ukraine Project. She accepts donations and then supports individuals and small groups and NGOs through Ukraine via her Ukrainian bank account. Very simple and fast. You can make donations through PayPal or bank transfer.
International organisations had proven slow, bureaucratic, and largely ineffective in reaching civilians inside Ukraine. With truckloads of aid stuck at borders or in depots, Anastasia began wiring funds directly — and instantly — to verified individuals and groups on the ground. Each recipient was vetted through direct contact, including video calls and local referrals. Funds were sent via Wise and PaySend, typically within seconds.
Over 2022 and 2023, the initiative distributed more than $1 million USD in direct assistance. Individuals and families received modest, needs-based transfers — $80 for individuals, $150 for families, and $210 for households with three or more children. Volunteer groups received $350–500 depending on the scale and urgency of their work. All money was sent without overheads, delays, or intermediaries.
Cash enabled recipients to buy what they needed most, at the best local prices. It also sustained local economies: farmers sold food, drivers delivered supplies, small businesses stayed open, and volunteers continued their work with dignity and speed. The aid supported a wide range of needs: formula and nappies for children in Kharkiv shelters, food and power banks for territorial defense volunteers in Mykolaiv, and essential medicine for hospitals across Ukraine.
We continue to believe that direct, fast, dignified aid is one of the most powerful tools we have — not only to relieve suffering, but to keep civic life alive under attack. We now focus on supporting the Ukrainian Armed Forces' non-lethal needs. They are the ones who make everything else in Ukraine possible.
Should you wish to donate, please note "Direct Aid" in your donation.