The predecessor of the Solidarity Collectives was an initiative called Operation "Solidarity", which emerged on 23 February 2022, following
Vladimir Putin's speech on the eve of
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The initiative united activists from various
left-wing circles — primarily
anarchist, as well as
Marxist, broad
socialist,
feminist,
environmentalist, and
trade union movements. Some of them joined the front lines, while others committed themselves to providing logistical and material support. Many of the fighters with anti-authoritarian views later joined the
Resistance Committee. From May to July 2022, Operation "Solidarity" split into several organisations, one of which became the Solidarity Collectives themselves. Since June 2022, the Solidarity Collectives have been assisting soldiers with equipment needs, and since early 2023, they have been travelling to front-line cities on humanitarian missions. After the
destruction of the Kakhovka Dam by Russian forces on 6 June 2023, members of the Solidarity Collectives arrived in
Nikopol, where they purchased
drinking water for the local vocational school and supplied large water containers for public use. The Collectives have also conducted humanitarian missions in
Kryvyi Rih,
Dobropillia,
Kupiansk, and other cities. At the end of April 2024, the Solidarity Collectives took part in an event in
Odesa, which involved the planting of trees in memory of international volunteers who had fallen in the
Russo-Ukrainian war. The event aimed to honour the memory of
Dmitry Petrov, a Russian anarchist,
Finbar Cafferkey, an Irish socialist, and Cooper Andrews, an American activist. On 23 June 2024, the Solidarity Collectives held a public event marking their second anniversary. The celebration featured a photo exhibition documenting their humanitarian missions, a
really really freemarket, and a discussion on self-organisation during wartime, with participation from fighters affiliated with anarchist groups such as the Ecological Platform and the Resistance Committee. Throughout their history, the Solidarity Collectives have cooperated with a range of Ukrainian and international left-wing initiatives, including
Anarchist Black Cross,
Direct Action,
Social Movement, as well as several foreign trade unions — notably France's
General Confederation of Labour (CGT) and Poland's
Workers' Initiative — and some
political internationals such as the International Workers' Unity (IWU–FI) and
International Workers' League (IWL–FI). == Structure and Areas of Activity ==