Iryna Zhluktenko

This Independence Day morning, I woke up in Kyiv, a capital that was expected to fall in 3 days. Went for a morning run and to Maidan Nezalezhnosti to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers. This was how I wanted to start the day, living freely and thanking the people who are keeping our independence.

Later over coffee, I noticed a sign: “The next 35 [and hundreds more] years begin with what we do today.”

Well then. Back to work! We have a lot to do. Happy Independence Day, Ukraine 🇺🇦

Our soldiers carry that every day, at the highest cost. The rest of us get to carry the easier part of it.

At @dzygaspaw.com, that has meant over $700K in drones, 100+ EW systems, 200+ Starlinks, and more, already delivered this year, funded by people in 65 countries who decided Ukraine's defense was their responsibility too. Thank you to all who stand by our side.

Today, we are living the independence that generations before us fought for, and our task is to make sure we don’t lose it.

So today, independence is no longer a dream to pursue. It is a responsibility to defend the state, restore our internationally recognized borders, and build a country worth living in for generations to come.

I feel incredibly lucky to have been born in an independent Ukraine. When I look at our history, 35 years is both a very long time for me personally, given that I’m 26, and a very short time for a country.

Before today, Ukrainians made several attempts to build their own state, from the Ukrainian People’s Republic in 1917 and the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic in 1918 to Carpathian Ukraine in 1939. None of them lasted long, but each was a powerful step in the long struggle for Ukrainian statehood

I have to admit I didn’t pay as much attention to Independence Day in the past as I do now. When something feels like a given, you don’t think about its value quite as much. However, when there is a clear and significant risk of losing it, you start to understand and appreciate it much more deeply.

When I found out I'd be in California for my studies at Stanford GSB, I thought it would be cool to meet some of our @dzygaspaw.com donors whom I've never met in person. A coffee, maybe a small gathering. That small gathering turned into a full defense tech evening! 🧵

But the best part was the conversations afterward: finally hugging people who've donated to us since 2022, meeting the faces behind the names I've seen in our system for years. Thank you for coming 🫂

And if you want to experience the real thing, visit Ukraine. Our next event is in Lviv this July. Come meet the soldiers fighting at the front. Come see what your support actually does. Ping me for more details about the event 😊

The discussion was very honest: panelists shared what it's like to build defense companies under fire: their motivation, the speed & the feedback loops that don't exist anywhere else.

After the panel, I gave a short speech about @dzygaspaw.com and together we raised a couple thousand dollars toward Vampire heavy bomber drones for the Khartiia Corps in Kupiansk.

Together with Earthrise Ventures and the Consulate General of Ukraine in SF, we brought Ukrainian defense tech founders, my classmates, who came to the US for just a few weeks before heading back to Ukraine -- for a panel, Dzyga's Paw presentation, and networking with the SF tech & VC community.

Over 70 people registered with just 3 days' notice. Honestly, sometimes organizing events outside Ukraine feels easier than at home :D so many of our supporters are abroad, and they show up!!

20 May

Great to know there are some friends of Ukraine here! 🇺🇦🇺🇸

20 May

Let me know if you’re in DC and let’s meet!

23 Jan

You can help deliver life-saving tech to the Ukrainian defenders in just ONE MINUTE! Dzyga's Paw (us 😎) was shortlisted for the 2026 Award from DOU, Ukraine's biggest IT community. We need your vote to win! It costs nothing but increases our visibility. Will you help? --->

It will take no longer than a minute to vote via @doucommunity.bsky.social: 1) go to dou.ua/awards-2026/ 2) log in if needed 3) scroll down to the 2nd category: "Найпотужніша ініціатива від ІТ-спеціалістів, що наближає перемогу" 4) find Dzyga's Paw & choose it (turns yellow = voted!)

23 Jan

If you've voted, please drop a comment below so I can thank you personally! Every reply & repost helps the algorithm show this to more people who can help 🥰 Thank you!

@dzygaspaw.com has already delivered over $5 million in drones, Starlinks & more to the front lines. Our mission isn't just supplying gear. We're winning hearts and minds, showing the world that the most impactful way to support Ukraine is by supporting our Defence Forces!

23 Jan

If you believe in that too, please vote for us in the category: "The most powerful initiative by IT specialists bringing victory closer" ("Найпотужніша ініціатива від ІТ-спеціалістів, що наближає перемогу") See the steps to vote below ⬇

14 Jan

Congrats to Mykhailo Fedorov on being appointed as the new Defence Minister by the Ukrainian parliament. I am excited, and I am sure this is a huge challenge for him and hopefully also the system. Wishing Minister Fedorov energy and inspiration for changes. Good luck!

7 Jan

Some of the 2025 fundraising results by @dzygaspaw.com compared to previous years. Proud of our team and grateful to all the people around the world who support the Ukrainian Defence Forces with us!

7 Sept 2025

I’m in London for a couple of days. Let me know if you’re here and want to meet :)

30 Aug 2025

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine @dmytrokuleba.bsky.social says hello to all of you who support Ukraine! But a special hello to the Dzyga’s Paw community 😉

A few days ago, I turned 25. One of the first thoughts that came to me was: wow, just three more years, and half of my life (the conscious half) will have been lived during the war. Probably not the best thought to have. But it means a lot.

In the past three years, seven people whom I had the honor to call friends have been killed. Most of them — not much older than 25. The war, of course, reveals truth about many things — to a great extent, ourselves. But without it, things would be better.

That chance is no longer given to us. Let’s make sure to give it to the next generations. So they can live without war. There’s much work ahead!

At 22, I went to pursue a Master’s in Paris, the one I wanted. I quit it after three months, along with my job. I raised my first million dollars for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At 23, I got married. To that same love. At 24, he made the decision to join the Armed Forces. And now: 25.

The above photo was taken by my husband in Singapore two weeks ago. It’s beautiful, calm, and there is no war. Here, in Ukraine, there is war. And we have to live with it: not despite it, not ignoring it, but with it.

Overall, I think I’m doing well. I’m alive and healthy. I have a wonderful family and incredible friends. I’m honest with myself. I love what I do every day. Of course, the war slows many things down and destroys a lot. Still, much is changing and unfolding in a special way given the circumstances.