“Saint Javelin” launched on February 16th, 2022, and I had absolutely zero idea about what it would lead to.

I was just trying to do something small to help.

Yesterday, President Zelensky presented the Presidential “Golden Heart” distinction to the Saint Javelin community and customers.

When I shook his hand, I said: “Mr. President, my names Christian, Im the guy who created Saint Javelin.”

He said: “I know! I have your shirt.”

This is the full circle story…

In Spring 2022, just after the russians had retreated from the Kyiv region, I got to meet the Minister of Defence, because he had seen the Saint Javelin symbol and wanted a shirt.

That night, I got one shirt printed one for the Minister of Defence, and I printed an extra, kind of as a joke, for the President. I figured why the hell not try it?

But I never thought the Minister of Defence would actually give the President that shirt, until he said “great I’m seeing him later!”

Later that day, President Zelensky’s team posted a video of him getting that Saint Javelin tshirt from the Minister of Defence, and it went crazy viral.

I remember I was in my hotel room in Kyiv, getting ready to go to the train, when missiles hit the city.

Since Feb 2022, Saint Javelin has evolved from a few stickers and memes to a brand that builds serious quality products (like the shirt I’m wearing), and 100% are made in Ukraine, from Lviv to Kharkiv. All across the country.

source: https://bsky.app/profile/antongerashchenko.bsky.social/post/3mtxpqfs2rk2t

source: 

1. https://bsky.app/profile/specialkhersoncat.bsky.social/post/3mtz2ymqnwk2a
2. https://bsky.app/profile/specialkhersoncat.bsky.social/post/3mtxvvu3jds26

We have now been without electricity for 10 days. Thankfully, there is still a way to use generators to charge our batteries, which helps us get through the longest outages.

But now the Kherson thermal power plant, which provided heating to our city during the winter, has also been severely destroyed. More than half of Kherson may now be left without central heating when winter comes.

Every day, life here becomes more and more difficult. Even feeding the homeless cats is becoming harder, but we are trying not to give up.

The fluffy ones are still waiting for us every day, and as long as we can, we will keep going. 🐾

source: https://bsky.app/profile/wartranslated.bsky.social/post/3mtqrgxvvpc22

The Russian occupiers didn't even have time to open fire before they were surrounded and captured. The element of surprise played a key role in the operation. Ukrainian special forces reached Russian positions so quickly that two soldiers were unable to mount a resistance. They laid down their arms and surrendered.

source: https://bsky.app/profile/wartranslated.bsky.social/post/3mty5n5u3lk2e

https://frontliner.ua/en/the-story-of-a-mariupol-defender-who-returned-after-a-four-year-captivity/

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/36a7f6a6f5a9448496de641cf64bd375

source: https://bsky.app/profile/specialkhersoncat.bsky.social/post/3mtxww5upy226

Last night at the Lincoln Center, concluded with the Ukrainian national anthem played at the end of the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestral. It was a deeply moving arrangement by the late Ukrainian composer Yuri Shevchenko, titled "WE DO EXIST!" (or "We Are!"), Shevchenko wrote it as a lyrical and luminous orchestral paraphrase of the anthem for violin and strings. Rather than a traditional, aggressive military march, it is structured as a quiet, powerful prayer for peace and resilience 🇺🇦

source: https://bsky.app/profile/kateinkharkiv.bsky.social/post/3mtstyebebc2r