Press Release
For Immediate Release
Washington, DC, Oct. 8, 2026 – United Help Ukraine (UHU), with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States, is honored to be the official sponsor of Team Ukraine in the 51st Annual U.S. Marine Corps Marathon, taking place Sunday, October 25, 2026, in Washington, DC. Known as “The People’s Marathon” for its inclusive spirit and emphasis on participation rather than prize money, the MCM is a fitting stage for a team representing a country that has endured more than four and a half years of full-scale war following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. UHU is proud to help bring a nine-member Ukrainian delegation, including wounded defenders and support personnel.
Leading Team Ukraine, as he has since 2016, is Major General (ret.) Volodymyr Havrylov, a decorated Ukrainian officer whose career has spanned military service, diplomacy, and the rehabilitation of Ukraine’s servicemen and veterans. Havrylov served as Ukraine’s Defense Attaché in Washington from 2015 to 2018 and later as Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, helping coordinate international military assistance at the onset of the full-scale invasion. In 2019, he was awarded the U.S. Legion of Merit for his exceptional service.
Now head of the Veterans Ten Charitable Foundation, Havrylov is leading this year’s team of Ukrainian defenders undergoing rehabilitation. Since 2016, in collaboration with UHU, his foundation has brought Ukraine’s wounded warriors to the Marine Corps Marathon, using sport and competition as part of their physical and psychological rehabilitation. This year, as Team Ukraine marks a decade at the MCM, the runners will once again take to the course on American soil in a shared show of endurance and sacrifice, carrying with them a message of Ukraine’s resilience and determination to stand strong against Russia’s invasion.
For the Ukrainian defenders, the experience extends well beyond the 26.2-mile course. Running through Washington and Arlington, surrounded by cheering spectators, tests their physical capabilities and supports their rehabilitation, while the welcome they receive provides an equally important boost to their spirit. Their visit to the United States — including time at the capital’s landmarks and museums and interaction with the American public, Ukrainian-American volunteers, and supporters — is an important part of the experience.
Said Volodymyr Havrylov:
“The marathon is first and foremost a tremendous physical challenge for our wounded defenders and an important part of their rehabilitation. But its impact goes far beyond the physical. When they run through MCM’s iconic course and see people cheering for them and for Ukraine, they feel that they are not alone. They return home stronger in body and spirit, knowing that Americans continue to stand with the Ukrainian people. For our defenders, that support means a great deal.”
United Help Ukraine has stood with Team Ukraine since the beginning of this collaboration in 2016, helping bring the defenders to Washington and rallying the local community to welcome them and cheer them along the course.
Said Maryna Baydyuk, President and CEO of UHU:
“United Help Ukraine has proudly supported Team Ukraine’s participation in the Marine Corps Marathon for a decade. The marathon gives Ukrainian defenders an extraordinary opportunity to demonstrate their strength and endurance alongside runners from around the world. As they make their way through our nation’s capital, they carry with them Ukraine’s powerful message of resilience in the face of aggression and determination to defend the universal values of freedom and independence. We are honored to sponsor Team Ukraine and to welcome these remarkable defenders to Washington.”
For more information about the marathon and its route through Washington, DC, and Arlington, VA, visit Marine Corps Marathon website.
For interviews with team members, photo opportunities, or other media requests, contact Victoria Odinotska (see contact information below). Ukrainian journalists are invited to coordinate with UHU for virtual or in-person interviews and coverage opportunities.
Founded in 2014, United Help Ukraine (UHU) is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to provide the people of Ukraine with critical support, enabling them to survive in the face of adversity, defend and regain their sovereign territory, and rebuild and thrive in the future. UHU has provided over $92.9 million in humanitarian, medical, psychological and other assistance to those harmed by Russia’s unprovoked aggression and advocates for a free, democratic and independent Ukraine.
Contact:
Victoria Odinotska at victoria.vita@gmail.com and victoria@kanterpr.com
