(rpo) On the fourth anniversary of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, Mainz is sending a strong message of solidarity: Together with Mainz associations, the city is calling for donations to purchase generators for its Ukrainian twin city Odessa. The background to this is the ongoing Russian attacks on the port city's energy infrastructure, which repeatedly lead to massive power outages.

The Odessa Town Twinning Association had previously approached the city of Mainz with an urgent request to help procure generators for critical infrastructure.

Despite a tense market situation, the city administration was able to purchase a used large generator with a continuous output of around 200 kW for €14,850. The generator is partially equipped with new components and is in good technical condition. The new price for a comparable device of this size is around €40,000 to €70,000. The purchase was financed by funds from the city partnership.

On February 24, 2026, the generator, along with other equipment from the city of Regensburg, will be transported to Odessa by the aid organization Space Eye e.V. via a shipping company. Space Eye will cover the transport costs, which would have amounted to around €2,000 for a single delivery.

With a continuous output of around 200 kW, the generator can reliably supply a medium-sized water pumping station, a large heating station, a clinic area, several municipal buildings, and even a small data center in Odessa. A stable emergency power supply is of vital importance for maintaining public infrastructure.

"Four years after the start of Russia's large-scale war of aggression, it is more true than ever that electricity means life and, in concrete terms, security, medical care, and warmth," emphasizes Mayor Nino Haase. "Our city partnership with Odessa is a clear sign of solidarity. With the powerful generator, we are providing concrete help. At the same time, we know that the need remains enormous. We are therefore also counting on the solidarity of Mainz's urban society and are launching a crowdfunding campaign for additional generators."

The crowdfunding campaign is supported by the German-Ukrainian Society for Economy and Science, the Mainz-Odessa Partnership Association, the Ukrainian Association Mainz, and the state capital of Mainz. The goal is to finance additional generators. The donation target is a total of 25,000 euros.

Under the motto "Light & Warmth for Odessa," the people of Mainz are called upon to participate. Every contribution helps to supply hospitals, care facilities, pumping stations, and heating units with electricity, thereby providing security and hope in an exceptional situation.

Donations can be made to the German-Ukrainian Society for Economics and Science e.V. at Volksbank Darmstadt Mainz eG (IBAN DE49 5519 0000 0653 9900 10, BIC MVBMD55) with the reference "Generators Odessa." A donation receipt will be issued upon request.