Tampa-based organization working to rescue Americans stranded in Ukraine

TAMPA, Fla. (WWSB) - A Tampa-based non-profit organization is conducting an operation of American citizens still in Ukraine as tensions escalate.

Project DYNAMO is currently working to exfiltrate Americans. The rescue operation began minutes after Russia invaded Ukraine, which included strikes on the capitol city of Kyiv Wednesday night.

“Right now, our team is working to get the first group of nearly two dozen American citizens and residents out of Ukraine. They are currently traversing the Ukrainian countryside and trying to make their way to an American embassy in a neighboring country,” said James Judge, a spokesman for Project DYNAMO. “The evacuation began minutes after our team on the ground physically felt the nearby explosions in Kyiv last night.”

The organization says they have experienced a significant increase in request for evacuations. The group began inserting team members into Ukraine to begin planning for rescue operations of Americans.

Planning and coordination for a DYNAMO-led American rescue operation in Ukraine intensified after the U.S. State Department evacuated diplomatic personnel and abandoned the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv last week. The U.S. State Department says that no one should be traveling to Ukraine and those who can...should evacuate immediately.

In addition to rescue operations in Ukraine, DYNAMO has helped to rescue thousands of Americans from Afghanistan and continues to conduct evacuations.

Those interested in donating or learning more about Project DYNAMO can do so by visiting www.projectdynamo.org.