00:46-00:56 Kotryna Vilnonyte, Wings of Europe volunteer
01:08-01:14 ONSCREEN COURTESY: Wings for Europe
01:23-01:29 Bart Trakymas, Wings for Europe volunteer
02:08-02:18 Sniezhka Baqun, Wings for Europe volunteer
02:28-02:42 Ihor Mariy, Ukrainian war veteran
03:06-03:12 Bart Trakymas, Wings for Europe volunteer
03:20-03:34 ONSCREEN COURTESY: Wings for Europe
 
00:00
Gathered in a makeshift workshop in Brussels,
a cozy setting with snacks
a group of friends practices their weekend hobby
But the location is kept secret because this is not your typical crafting party.
 
00:14
Audio of Kotryna over assembly
+++ SOT: “mortar, soldering, configuring, fly testing”
 
00:22
They’re making drones to send to Ukraine…assembling themselves under the name Wings for Europe, a non-profit started two years ago by Ukraine supporters in Brussels.
 
00:32
+++ SOT: Kotryna Vilnonytė, Wings of Europe volunteer
“people say oh I'm scared. So I say don't be scared. Act, work. So that's the initiative behind that.  It started from one person knowing how to build it and we shared it together among friends and said it would be great to continue. <cutaway>   
So now I sit next to a person who came for the first day and I say this is how you do it, this is the logic behind and you'll know it next time immediately. //So you make it once and you can make hundreds.”
 
01:03
And hundreds have already been sent.
 
<ONSCREEN COURTESY: Wings for Europe”
Production is limited only by funding, which they are constantly seeking. Many of these assembly volunteers are also contributing their own money.
 
01:15
AUDIO BART
“here's a pack with a frame,  ten inch frame. We unpack it, we give it to the table out there…
 
01:22
+++ SOT: Bart Trakymas, Wings of Europe volunteer
“Our time, our fingers, our tools, our premises, our electricity, delivery which is enabled by our partners, it's all free of charge. That’s why we are producing them so cheap. we are the ones who who understand clearly that it's way cheaper to do things now, to give tools to Ukrainians now so that they can protect themselves and Europe than to fight another war deeper in Europe.”
 
01:48
Sniezhka Baqun understands all too well. She left Ukraine just before Russia’s full-scale invasion.
 
01:55
“Are you just learning today?
 
01:757
“Yeah. Yeah. Just second day. I'm just learning this process first time”
 
02:04
Now living in Luxembourg, Baqun traveled to the workshop with other volunteers.
 
02:08
+++ SOT: Sniezhka Baqun, Wings of Europe volunteer
“for me actually what I feel like like Ukrainian person it's that Europe doesn't forget about us and that they’re still trying to help us.”
 
02:19
Emotions echoed by a wounded war veteran visiting from Kyiv.
 
02:26
+++ SOT: Ihor Mariy, Ukrainian war veteran
“It's very helpful for serve our for save our troops because drone cost maybe three hundred euro and life of our soldier it's priceless.”
 
02:44
In the next room, other volunteers are creating nets by hand to camouflage soldiers on the battlefield.
 
Within a few hours, some of the new creations are ready to test.
Once a drone gets the okay, it also often gets a name…chosen by the person who donated the funds to build it.
 
03:05
+++ SOT: Bart Trakymas, Wings of Europe volunteer
“the name will appear here and here and we'll make a photo and send them and then put them in the boxes and off they go.”
 
03:12
Transported mostly by partners who want to remain anonymous….but sometimes hand-delivered by people proud to be helping the mission…
like these members of the European Parliament.
 
<ONSCREEN COURTESY: Wings for Europe>
The drones won’t last long once they get to the frontline in Ukraine —their job is to ensure the survival of soldiers, like this unit expressing appreciation.
 
Great care is put into showing donors how important they are…artists are contributing their work as are Ukrainian refugee children living in Europe.
 
03:44
+++ SOT: Bart
“They are doing this just to thank those who are giving the tools the Ukrainians need. Here you see wings, wings for Europe, wings for Ukraine and you see heart.”
 
03:55
Loads and loads of heart.