Meet military chaplain Vlad Kalin

We know Vlad Kalin through our partner Yevhen Nadiuk from Oleksandrivka. Vlad and Yevhen are pastors in the same group of churches. Vlad was called up for military service earlier this year and now serves as an assistant military chaplain in the Ukrainian army. Unfortunately, chaplains receive minimal funding from the army to maintain and fuel their vehicles. Vlad’s team were covering part of these costs from their own salaries, money they could barely spare. Thanks to our support, they no longer have to worry about keeping their car fueled.

Vlad explains:

“Our battalion protects the skies above Kharkiv from enemy shaheeds, combat drones and other unmanned flying objects. These pose the greatest threat to our city today, destroying infrastructure and bringing death to civilians. Our battalion consists of over 100 mobile air defense units.

As a chaplain, I make weekly visits to mobile fire group crews, five to eight groups per day, depending on their locations and distances from each other. The purpose is to provide psychological and spiritual support, maintain fighting spirit, pray with the soldiers, both collectively and individually, identify their needs, and, where possible, solve problems. Showing them attention, care, and gratitude motivates them. Every time we visit, we bring something with us – thanks to our friends and service partners – such as food kits, household supplies, and hot-cooked meals like pilaf and meat.

Beyond these regular visits, we go to hospitals to see soldiers from our battalion and other units who are recovering from injuries or receiving in-patient treatment. We conduct church ceremonies to fulfil the religious and spiritual needs of military personnel. We also hold individual meetings with soldiers facing critical issues like apathy, depression, and suicidal thoughts. These conversations matter deeply. 

We also work alongside chaplains from other units, holding joint events in their military units and at training grounds. This collaboration strengthens all our ministries. And we’re constantly searching for resources to help our battalion. We need generators because some mobile air defense units are located in private houses in areas with unreliable electricity. We also need batteries for combat vehicles from which soldiers track and destroy UAVs, power banks, medicines, bed linen, mattresses, pillows, and much more. The soldiers cover housing rental, living expenses, cars to move around between locations, and car maintenance, fuel, and repair from their personal budgets.”

Vlad’s words reveal a striking reality: while soldiers sacrifice everything to defend their country, they’re still paying for basic necessities out of their own pockets. Chaplains like Vlad provide a lifeline – someone to pray with, someone to talk with, someone who reminds wounded warriors that they matter. But they can only do this work if they can reach the soldiers.

Our Home Front project covers fuel costs and essential supplies for military chaplains, enabling them to visit soldiers regularly, bring comfort to the wounded, and provide spiritual care where it’s needed most. Your support means chaplains can focus on their calling rather than worrying about gasoline.