Engineers at Leater Integration have worked tirelessly to do their part while under fire in Ukraine, undertaking volunteer projects to support the people of Kyiv.
For many integrators, the biggest challenge comes in the form of an issue with other contractors, supply or a long-running project pushing on to the early hours. For the staff of Leater integration, GPA regional business unit for Ukraine, it’s the danger of missiles falling from the sky, Russian tanks rolling in the streets and the threat of subjugation at the hands of Putin’s army that occupy the daily hazards faced by not just these integrators but the people of Ukraine.
Based in Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine, Leater’s staff found themselves caught in the crossfire as Putin’s invasion of Ukraine pushed towards the capital in February 2022, a scene once thought unthinkable since the dark days of the Second World War.
With close-range battles breaking out between the Ukrainian defenders and Russian occupiers, rockets falling on civilians and non-stop bombardment from Russian artillery, many Kyiv citizens were forced underground, seeking shelter from the carnage above in bomb shelters and subway stations. Yet, through all the despair and impending doom, Leater was hard at work to make a difference for people under fire.
In such a dire and depressing environment, with the real risk of Ukrainian collapse on the horizon, engineers of Leater Integration stepped forward with its rental division to deploy screens and projectors in bomb shelters, showing films and cartoons to occupy the children and parents forced into unimaginable conditions.
Leater’s engineers joined the ranks of their neighbours, making every effort to provide any element of comfort and peace for the people around them. Internet providers worked to provide free Wi-Fi, chefs prepared food and drinks which were distributed for free and at the heart of it all, Leater installed equipment and monitored performance as the rockets continued to fall.
Leater has also found itself in a position not only supporting the civilians of war-torn towns and cities, but also supporting the Ukrainian armed forces in its push towards liberation as Mykola Zhandarov, CEO, Leater, explained: “Like many people around the world, the employees and management of Leater also participate in volunteer projects. With our own funds, together with other volunteers, we created a mobile command centre that controls drones. Using equipment in Ukraine stocked by the distributors of the Leater group, we assembled a small complex with independent power supply (inverter, generator, powerful power supply unit) and Starlink satellite communication.

“Inside, we've installed three monitors and a video server and collected them into a united drone control workstation. This set of equipment allows operators to implement the ordered functions of control, processing of captured information and planning of operations, and most importantly - increases the safety of drone operators themselves, as well as other defenders for whom the specified control complex works.”
As a priority target for the Russian invaders, Leater took great care to be mindful of the financial constraints and the dangerous position that the centre and its defenders would be working in, making the station as simple to use and as cost-effective as possible without compromising on the ability of Ukrainian drone operators to defend and liberate their country.

Zhandarov said: “Functionality, the ability to quickly deploy and the cost-effectiveness of the deployment became the main priority during design and implementation and we completed the task with the funds of volunteers.”
With support from volunteers, Leater was able to repair a minibus to supply equipment and worked tirelessly to support the troops, even installing a power station, telecommunications as well as the AV equipment required.
“We even installed a small coffee machine. After all, life goes on and coffee is an important part of the peaceful life that we all long for,” said Zhandarov.
Today, Leater continues to work tirelessly in support of Ukraine. As brave men and women from all across Ukraine continue their push to drive the Russian invaders back, support for Leater and its work remains pivotal.