A group of spirits industry professionals in Ukraine is asking for help from bars around the world as it seeks to fundraise for Ukrainian restaurants cooking for some of those affected by the Russian invasion.

The restaurants are cooking for 16,800 people from Kyiv and Kharkiv every day – from military forces to those in bomb shelters. 

The organisation is called BudmoUA, which takes its name from the Ukrainian cheering tradition ‘Budmo’, which can be translated as ‘let us be’.

Its founders say the goal of BudmoUA is to involve bars from all over the world who empathise with their colleagues from Kyiv and Kharkiv, to get support from their hospitality industry colleagues around the world, and to spread Ukraine’s cheering tradition.

The group asks for bars to introduce a special cocktail dedicated to Ukraine and donate a part of its revenue, or mark one or more cocktails on the menu with a BudmoUA sticker to encourage customers and guests to cheer in Ukrainian. 

Events to support BudmoUA are already being organised in bars around the world and are listed on the group’s Instagram at #BUDMOUA. 

BudmoUA says that every 10 Euro (NZD$16) provides food for one person per day.

Social links, printable collateral and Ukrainian-themed playlists are available on the BudmoUA website at budmoua.world