Almost all of the "Fortress of Courage Ukraine" Charitable Foundation Team are volunteers drawn from local universities and colleges. They are organized and led by a core team of dedicated and skilled professionals: Marina Kicelova, Director of Donor Relations and Yaroslav Minervin, Director of Public Relations and Marketing, who diligently and tirelessly support the Foundation in achieving its goals. Please see more details our core team here.
By drawing on the services of volunteers, the Foundation keeps its overhead costs to a bare minimum, ensuring that virtually all of the money generously contributed by our donors reaches the people and causes in greatest need.
As horrible as that event was, it was far from the only atrocity committed by the Russian invaders since the full-scale invasion of February 2022.
Since then, Russia’s war crimes have included the destruction of Mariupol, missile strikes on civilians, the mass killing of Ukrainian prisoners of war, the deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children, systematic torture, rape and disappearances in occupied territories, deliberate attacks on hospitals, schools, residential buildings, shopping centres and energy infrastructure, the catastrophic destruction of the Kakhovka Dam, and many other war crimes.
There can be no doubt that Putin’s unprovoked invasion is aimed at the total annihilation of the Ukrainian people, their language, culture and very existence. In short, Russia is waging a genocidal war against Ukraine, and not for the first time. Please see our “A Brief History of Ukraine” page to learn more .
Ukrainian resistance to Putin is fuelled in large part by the knowledge that, if Russia prevails, what happened in Bucha and elsewhere in Ukraine would become commonplace, as Putin exacts revenge and seeks to eradicate any further resistance through terror tactics.
Ukraine needs the support of its foreign allies and partners, both to ensure ultimate military victory and to rebuild the country and its economy after the war ends, the cost of which has been estimated at more than one trillion Euros.
Public money for rebuilding Ukraine may be in short supply in the future, given the already enormous expenditures in military and financial aid to the war effort, as well as the expected economic problems caused by the ongoing war in the Gulf region. We are therefore seeking to promote private participation in this cause.
If you support Ukraine in this struggle - or if you simply hate a bully, as I do - I ask you to give as generously as you would pray others would give if it were your home, your family, and your country under attack. Glory to Ukraine!
Today, Crispian brings the same energy, dedication, and belief in making a difference to our Foundation as he did throughout his legal career — and he intends to continue this commitment for many years to come.
Integrity
In keeping with the high ethical standards practiced by our founder during his years of legal practice, all officers, agents and employees of the Foundation are required to adhere to strict ethical standards.
All employees and officials undertake a fiduciary duty towards the Foundation in their employment or service contracts and these obligations are rigorously monitored and enforced, while self-dealing of any kind is strictly prohibited.
Accountability
We recognize and embrace the responsibility that comes with managing and disbursing all funds received from our kind and generous donors. We are only trustees of this money, with a duty to ensure that it is disbursed only to those persons truly in need and who meet the rigorous eligibility criteria set by the Foundation. The Foundation publishes reports periodically on this website detailing the amounts and uses of all funds distributed to beneficiaries, with testimonials confirming that they were received and used properly.
Agents and employees of the Foundation regularly require from beneficiaries proper documentation and other appropriate proof as to how funds have been spent.
This ensures that we fulfill our role as stewards of donor funds and ensure that they are spent in the best and most efficient manner possible.
Transparency
The Foundation is committed to absolute transparency as to its use of donor money, as well as to its internal governance and management. We periodically publish on our website all minutes of meetings of the management committee at which existing and potential future projects are discussed and agreed, as well as the audited accounts of the Foundation.
We strive to identify exactly which donor funds are allocated to specific projects so that donors are able to track how their money is used, thereby become directly engaged with the Foundation’s work.
Crispian “Robert” Hayhurst
Founder, Executive Chairman and CFO
Is a retired international corporate lawyer and corporate finance specialist with more than 35 years experience in leading large, cross-border M&A and other corporate /commercial transactions throughout Central and Eastern Europe, including Ukraine.
Raised and educated mostly in Canada, Crispian relocated to Budapest in 1993 working and becoming a partner with two major international law firms, while also founding his own CEE regional firm, “Hayhurst & Partners” in 1998.
After retiring from his legal practice in 2010, Crispian has continued to advise private clients on structuring and implementing their investments in various CEE countries.
Crispian has overall responsibility for determining the Foundation’s main objectives and selecting and structuring its projects, in collaboration with the other team members, as well as publicizing the Foundation’s work internationally and expanding its donor base.
Maryna Kyselova
CEO, Director of Donor Relations (Ukraine)
has over 15 years of professional experience in public sector reform, compliance, and donor coordination.
She spent more than nine years working in Ukraine’s public sector, contributing to analytical research, corruption risk assessments, and the development of anti-corruption, compliance, and integrity strategies for government institutions across sectors such as education, infrastructure, recovery, and public service delivery.
At the Foundation, Maryna leads donor relations and partnership development, ensures compliance with international standards of governance and financial transparency, and supports the implementation of impactful programs benefiting communities across Ukraine.
Yaroslav Minervin
CEO
is a communications and public affairs professional with over 15 years of experience in journalism, strategic communications, and government relations.
He began his career in journalism, covering politics, war, and corruption for leading Ukrainian media outlets. Later, he transitioned into strategic communications, working with state institutions, international organizations, and donor-funded reform programs, with a focus on crisis communications and anti-corruption initiatives.
At the Foundation, Yaroslav leads marketing, public relations, and stakeholder engagement, strengthens the organization’s public profile, and oversees overall strategic leadership as CEO, ensuring the Foundation effectively fulfills its mission in Ukraine.