a multipurpose electric ground drone. They
modify agricultural equipment to build a defense
platform for evacuation, intelligence, and
delivering ammo.
IMMERSIVE TRAINING
Before the war, Serhii Nezhinsky was engaged in
a rare profession for our country: a digital curator.
As co-founder of X-Platform and founder of the
METΛCVLTVRE project, he worked to integrate
new technologies into business and creative
industries. “I believe that culture is the first line
of defense of the country,” said Serhii, “and that
virtual art can be transformed into absolutely real
security.”
In 2022, Serhii volunteered for the army and
now works in the Ministry of Defense where
he is engaged in planning combat training
and after-action review. Serhii is working on a
dream project. “It is an immersive media (VR)
training ground with a system of interconnected
simulators of weapons, equipment, and aviation.
That will make it possible to train on real
locations, scanned to the smallest detail, and to
plan operations in real time.” The project has the
potential to serve as a magnet for more creative
talent like Serhii in the army.
HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS
Makers have also been involved in rebuilding
efforts in de-occupied territories and addressing
the needs for shelter, heating, light, and food for
the people who live there. A lot of the work is
helping more people learn new skills.
CARGO BIKES
Maker Danylo Braverman started to produce
cargo bikes for last-mile food delivery to
unoccupied regions where infrastructure was
damaged. These bikes helped locals deliver food,
stoves, and clothes in the Chernihiv and Sumy
regions.
TOLOCAR: MOBILE MAKERSPACES
Toloca is an old Ukrainian word meaning
“communal work.” In early spring 2022, we
developed the Tolocar project (tolocar.org/en)
with funding from the German government’s
Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and
deployed a fleet of four mobile makerspaces
for humanitarian relief. These vehicles look
like STE(A)M Trucks in the USA. They visit
makerspaces and technical colleges, bringing
equipment and tools as well as teaching
workshops.
“Such workshops most often involve people
(kids and adults) who have never done any
making before,” explained Olga Ivanchenko, who
works with a small team in Kyiv to operate the
mobile makerspace and teaches 3D printing. “In
this way, we try to show them new opportunities
for technical creativity and interest them in
science. We think that crafting has a great
positive effect on the psyche of people and can
FEATURES: Makers During Wartime
Last-mile cargo bike by Kyiv maker Danylo Braverman
Overhead view of Tolocar mobile makerspace
van with its contents
18 makezine.com
Volodymyr Valdman, Tolocar / Pascal Flamme, Volodymyr Babii
M85_014-21_Ukraine_F1.indd 18M85_014-21_Ukraine_F1.indd 18 4/11/23 11:13 AM4/11/23 11:13 AM
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