Genocide - Blog Posts
russia is currently executing civilians in ukrainian vovchansk. russian forces are taking civilians captive, executing people trying to escape captivity. they are also shelling the entire place with cluster munitions to kill any survivors left
- Where are all Ukrainian writers? Why there are so few of them?
Just one example of hundreds similar cases:
Geo Shkurupiy was born on April 20, 1903, a Ukrainian writer of the avant-garde genre. Shot by the NKVD (the Secret Police of the USSR) on December 8, 1937, in Leningrad. His place of rest is still unknown. His wife, Varvara Bazas, was assigned the WTM category — "the Wife of a Traitor to the Motherland". Together with their son Georgiy, they - as an "enemy of the people" family - were forcibly evicted from Kyiv by the Soviet authorities.
To all those who died alone in the Russian occupation
🕯 "To all those who died alone in the Russian occupation". Muzychi village, Kyiv region
These are the words on the tombstone that stands on the grave of the mother of Ukrainian artist Alevtina Kakhidze. The artist installed it in 2021. This memorial project consists of six marble doors that replicate the location of the doors in the house of Alevtina's mother, known as Klyubnyka Andriivna, in the village of Zhdanivka, Donetsk region, as well as concrete porch steps recreated in real life. When the war in eastern Ukraine broke out, the artist's mother was unable to leave her home despite her daughter's persuasion. Alevtina dedicated a series of works to her mother, which were shown at exhibitions in Ukraine and abroad. Kakhidze's mother died in 2019 - her heart stopped while crossing one of the checkpoints controlled by the militants of the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic". She was buried in the Kyiv region.
This is not the kind of message that children should receive from their parents "If we are killed, all the documents are in the basement."
This is what I mean when I say that we cannot negotiate and freeze the conflict. Because children from the occupied territories, who are now 14-17 years old, will be fighting against us in five years.
Don't be indifferent. Make Russia pay. Please hear our cry out to the world, keep spreading our voices, and donate to our army and combat medics (savelife.in.ua, prytulafoundation.org, Serhii Sternenko, hospitallers.life, ptahy.vidchui.org, and u24.gov.ua).
Russian culture is bloody terror
This morning, 53-year-old Oleksandr Potikun from Vovchansk took three dogs, documents, canned food, and photo albums and left the city to evacuate.
The man walked for 15 kilometers until he was picked up by the police. Oleksandr says that he decided to leave the city when a Russian tank damaged his house and a neighboring one. Before, he didn't want to leave because of Toshka, Jozyk, and Archie - he was afraid that the dogs would disappear if he left them behind. He also evacuated family photos: "Our houses are burning very badly, at least we will have something to remember."
Potikun says that Vovchansk is broken, Russians are bombarding the city with air and artillery around the clock.
Defense forces have stopped the enemy's attempts to break through the defense in the east, while fighting continues in Lukianets and Vovchansk
"The situation on the eastern front remains tense in the Khortytsia Joint Forces Operation Center in our area of responsibility, but the defense units are actively engaged in defensive battles. Attempts by Russian invaders to break through our defense have been stopped. The situation has been stabilized, in particular in the Kharkiv sector," said Nazar Voloshyn, spokesman for the Khortytsia group.
According to Voloshyn, the operational situation remains difficult, but it is changing dynamically. Fierce defensive battles continue: "There are settlements in a large part of our border area where the enemy is trying to gain a foothold and use them for further advancement." In the video, Oleksiy Kharkovsky, head of the Vovchansk patrol police, said that the situation in Vovchansk is extremely difficult, the enemy is taking positions on the streets of the city, where the evacuation of the population is also underway.
2 years since Mariupol defenders started to leave Azovstal in Mariupol and were captured by russians. Around 2000 Mariupol defenders are still in russian captivity.
Photo from Azovstal by Dmytro "Orest" Kozatskyi
1945: The village of Uskut, Crimea after Stalin's deportation of the entire native population of the Crimean Tatars from the 18th-20th of May 1944.
russian colonisers had yet to move into the houses.
May 18 is the 80th anniversary of the deportation of Crimean Tatars from the territory of Crimea in 1944 by the Soviet authorities. It is also a remembrance day for the victims of this genocide.
Thread on deportation of Crimean Tatars
Today, May 18, marks the 80th anniversary of the forced removal of the Crimean Tatars from their native Crimea by the Soviet authorities. This deportation is called Sürgünlik.
Now, in occupied by russia Crimea, the Crimean Tatars are once again suffering from repression. Their homes are being searched, they are being arrested, their culture is being destroyed. Ukraine is doing everything possible to defeat this evil. Because this evil must be defeated. Free nations must be free.
Just remembered a Ukrainian teenager who was killed 2 years ago by a russian missile while he was running to let his elderly neighbors know about an air raid. Killed for having compassion for his community. For being kind.
Crimean Tatars in Crimea before being deported by soviet authorities
Life goes on for the world, but for Ukrainians, it never will be the same
Farewell to Taras Onyskiv. Azov. The son of a Hero is presented with the flag of Ukraine, the country for which his father died. Glory to Heroes🇺🇦
There is nothing fair about war. We have to remind ourselves of this too often, especially when young people die.
As today, when a medic who started his career in the ranks of the Hospitallers, 21-year-old Oleksandr Kucheriavenko, call sign "Kuzma", died while performing a mission.
Died saving others. According to the battalion's press service, Kucheryavenko had recently mobilized to the Defense Forces.
"A man with an incredibly keen sense of justice. A professional who has worked at all levels of pre-hospital care. An idealist who was always where he had to be. A hospitalist to whom more than one Ukrainian soldier owes his life. A man his mother and bride were proud of and loved. A comrade-in-arms whom we miss.
He lived, loved, and fought. He died saving the lives of others. We will never be able to comprehend this incredible loss for Ukraine, the Battalion, his fellow L20 crewmates, and family," - this is how Oleksandr's brothers and sisters-in-arms, who together evacuated wounded soldiers in 2023 and 2024 as part of the L20 Hospitaller crew, remember him. "Young, hot-tempered, he was one of those who found his calling early on. And he followed it to the end, despite fatigue, pain, and loss," emphasized Yana Zinkevych.
Oleksandr Kucheryavenko died on May 14, 2024, while providing aid to the wounded.
"The Hospitallers urge to support his family, who will have a hard time without their son and loved one.
Cards to help the family:
Mono - 4441 1144 2069 5403 Kucheryavenko Lesya (mother)
Mono - 4441 1111 3547 1013 "Privatbank - 4149 4390 4847 6521 Valeria (bride)
Second brother died in the war @ maryzalipa. You can support the family of the fallen defender here
I'll show you handsome Mykola, now I can. He's in Sweden on a psychological rehabilitation program for combat medics.
I opened a bank account (in my mother's monobank) for those who want to help our family.
The worst thing is that my mother is crying now and saying, "We asked you to stay, but we couldn't save one of them, even if you had." And, of course, she is right. Mykola had the right to demobilize after Pasha's death, but he didn't want to.
These losses cannot be accepted. It is indeed a black spring for Ukraine. Don't be indifferent. Make Russia pay. Please hear our cry out to the world, keep spreading our voices, and donate to our army and combat medics (savelife.in.ua, prytulafoundation.org, Serhii Sternenko, hospitallers.life, ptahy.vidchui.org, and u24.gov.ua).
“I tried to explain that I was a musician but it didn’t work. You say you are a musician and it irritates them so much they beat you more, and accuse you of lying,” said Merkotan
While international organizations inspect and have access to our prisons where Russian prisoners are held, they turn a blind eye and do not fight for proper conditions for Ukrainian prisoners.
Another thing that outrages me is the way "Putin's prison" is used. It was not Putin who tortured him and others, but russians. This is not Putin's war, but Russia's. These are not the decisions and crimes of one person. After 10 years of war, the Russians are still being singled out and absolved of responsibility. That's impossible levels of stupidity and cowardice.
Russians are entertaining themselves by traumatizing our people, including kids
You can help by supporting a fundraiser for electronic warfare equipment for the electronic warfare unit that protects Kharkiv and the region. A little less than 800 thousand UAH are left before the fundraiser closes. Support the right cause!
Russian culture is ecocide
We have a question for animal rights activists: the guys at our positions have a small moose, its mother was hit by a mine… And here is the question: what to do with this calf? Could you please tweet us the news? If you can help in any way, please write to me in DM.
We have found people who will save the calf. Everything ends well. Here is another photo of the kiddo who also suffered from the fucking russians…
The calf is fine, we are waiting for people from the Wild Animals Rescue Center to arrive. There were problems with their access to the place. We will solve the issue.
The filnal update:
Phew, it was difficult😥 The calf was finally taken away.
Animal's whimpers of grief will haunt me in my dreams but for russians it's nothing.
Ukraine is going back to blackouts today, just like we did in fall and winter of 2022-2023, due to russians attacks on our energy infrastructure. We appreciate our energy workers so much, this is what they're dealing with.
russia commits ecocide in Ukraine
With the liberation of Palestine, every other group oppressed and suffering from genocide will be free as well. Recognize the genocides and look for freedom.
Free Armenia (genocides perpetrated by the Ottomans and the current occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh)
Free Sudan (mass rapes and murders are occurring there by the hand of the RSF. Sudan has the biggest displacement crisis in the world with +9 million people displaced)
Free Western Sahara (abandoned by the Spanish State in 1975, who is responsible for the celebration of the referendum of independence that has been frozen for over 50 years, currently occupied by the Alawite government of Morocco)
Free Congo (children forced to extract metals used for electronic devices in terrible conditions alongside mass displacement and violence. (DON´T BUY NEW PHONES YOURS IS FINE. QUIT VAPING AND IF YOU CAN´T, REUSE THEM)
Free the American Natives (Landback!!)
Free Ukraine (Holomodor and Russian aggression)
Uyghur genocide (People´s Republic of China sending native inhabitants to concentration camps and re-education camps)
This is by no means a comprehensive list, please add more to this in the reblogs.
CONDEMN THE STATES AND COLONIES OF FRANCE, THE USA, UK, GERMANY, SPAIN, JAPAN AND RUSSIA FOR THEIR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. DEMAND RESPONSIBILITY AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF GENOCIDES.
Long post about so-called Ukrainian “xenophobia” towards russians. If you’re not from East Europe\Ukraine - PLEASE, READ IT.
Me and my friends are really tired from seeing shit like this, so here’s simplest explanation to (almost) every popular agrument and answer to it.
Starting with definition. Xenophobia = hate for something foreign just because it is foreign. We DO NOT hate russians just because they're russians.
We hate russians for their warcrimes: both of the past and present.
(Litteraly the day I wrote this thread on Twitter it was another missile attack in the morning)
To put it plane and simple: russians and everything russia related aren't bad for just being russian: russians and everything russia related are bad because they destroying our lifes, cities, kill, rape, stole, occupy, torture and etc.
"But not every russian is related to military! Most of them against war!"
Oh? Really?
But even without numbers: you need to understand that more often so-called anti war russians are just ignorant to what their country doing. Be against war isn't about just words and position - it's about proving your position action. And by taking none since 2014, russians made it clear that they're okay with war.
"Anti war" russians most likely still paying taxes, and those money lately goes to army. "Anti war" russians, again, didn't do anything to stop war. Hell, most of liberal russians are direct imperialists.
So, if you see russian online and even if they're proclame themselves to be antiwar, in 99% cases they aren't.
Also, I simplifying most of things to better understanding, but you also need to know that without context of East Europe\russia-Ukraine conflict history a lot of imperialistic russian shit can pass though your ears. Just be aware of it.
"But how can they do anything against in such authoritarian country!"
Let's head back to simple math. According to russian sources, there was almost 15k detained (note: detained =\= convicted) for anti-war actions.
It all may sound scary... Until you look at looses of ru army.
So it is MUCH more safer in russia to be anti-war that is to be pro-war. Does it bother russians? Not at all.
and don't get me started on how lame it is for country with 144 million population to be afraid of abvously much lesser police force)
***
So, in summary:
Ukranians don't hate russians for being russians. Ukranians hate russians for being bloodthursty, ignorant mass who actively support war and\or don't do a shit to stop it.
Most russians, even "good" ones - likely a war supporter. Yes, they may not a straight forward z-one, but almost 100% an ignorant person who supports war by their money and absence of action against it.
We, Ukranians, have neither the strength nor the desire to look for a needle in our son's haystack.
Keep it in mind and please, do not get into conflicts, the nature and context of which you do not understand. Thanks for reading.
P.S Also there's a really good thread on Twitter that looks over this as a question of basic empathy, so please read it as well.
P.S.S And feel free to ask questions.
Your support of us is admiring
All Ukrainians appreciate your support, I'm sure about it. The Georgian Legion is the first foreign military that help Ukraine since 2014. I as a person from Donetsk never forget the immense support from Georgians. I wish you only a bright future without Russophiles in the government. Georgia is Europe like Ukraine.
🫂❤️🩹
Fabulous Frank was in Ukraine. Once again. And even in my Lviv.
Today russians also said hello to us with an air raid alarm. This is old news for Ukrainians.
That represents how Ukraine must deal with non-humans... Who call themselves "messiahs".
It always warms fibres of my soul when people in the darkest times and places never forget about caring for the small one❤️🩹 What a loss…
And about the Kharkiv region, by the way.
In two areas in the north of the Kharkiv region, the russians occupied villages in the "gray zone".
They did not reach the main defense line.
As of now, the intensity of the fighting has decreased, due to losses in the assault units of the russians.
The russians are regrouping, and we are preparing, and there will be more attempts to break through the main defense line.
Russian reserves are being pulled up, and we are also taking symmetrical actions. The fighting continues.
It makes me sick to my stomach to think about what these people who have already been under occupation are going through again.
Don't be indifferent. Please hear our cry out to the world, keep spreading our voices, and donate to our army and combat medics (savelife.in.ua, prytulafoundation.org, Serhii Sternenko, hospitallers.life, ptahy.vidchui.org, and u24.gov.ua).
Some hauntingly beautiful sceneries.
Fight for them as they fought for you
Mykyta Tatyanko "Zhyvchyk", a soldier of the 501st separate marine battalion, is still in captivity. He hit the front pages of all the world's media because he was simply helping the wounded during the shelling of the Mariupol maternity hospital. Because he just wanted to save someone.
In Mariupol, Zhyvchyk provided moral support to the locals. Ksenia, a resident of the city, met the soldier when a residential area was shelled. That day, March 12, her family was injured and slaughtered - her 16-year-old son and her sister's husband were killed instantly. "I was in a state of shock: I wanted to commit suicide because half of my family was killed in front of me, and the other half was not sure if they would survive," Ksenia said. The young defender helped the woman to keep her morale up. Mykyta convinced her that she shouldn't do anything to herself because many people around her needed help. "You are needed here, let's go help," Ksenia recalls. Ksenia told Mykyta's mother, Larysa, everything in detail, and told her that she had become the heroine of a movie about Mariupol. She also talked a lot about Mykyta in the movie, but she didn't give them any details. They are still in touch. Once she said: "Maybe you will be offended by me, but now Mykyta will be my adopted son." And Larysa was very happy about that, because now they both pray for him sincerely. Larysa was also contacted by one of the guys who was in the TRO and headed the security of the hospital in the city center. In a conversation with the soldier's mother, the defender said that in Mariupol, her son shared his food and medicine with the residents. Mykyta gave away almost everything he had.
❗In these pictures, he is 19 years old. At the age of 18, he voluntarily chose the path of the military, which even before the full-scale war, he was in the east part of Ukraine. Mykyta has been in captivity for almost 2 years, so he is now 21.
Please, share stories of our defenders in captivity. Many of them, including Mykyta have been there more than 2 years. You can only imagine what Russians do and tell them. Russians entertain themselves by breaking people, especially Ukrainians. They fiercely hate people who protect and fight for freedom. I hope our people find even more power in themselves to live through the hell of russian captivity. And when defenders all come back to their homeland, they will be themselves, in a healthy state like body and mind. There so many people are waiting for them. They deserve only good things after all of that.
The gorgeous Frank with important message in Kyiv.
Music is not beyond politics
It's astonishing and surreal to hear about apoliticality in contests where people represent a certain country….
Cruel humor. But I almost choked on my tea. I also see this as more of a chemical attack. Meanwhile, the russians are having fun…
They are proud of their crimes and shout about it at the top of their lungs. But the world is indifferent.
We need so much support right now when Russia is planning to take away even more territories and Ukrainians' lives. Don't quite our voice. Especially on a platform like that. Yes, it's entertaining competition but our reality in war is definitely not fun to live. We keep crying out to the world in every possible way.
Russians don't give love to their children, but they steal and re-educate Ukrainian children with such perverse fanaticism
That's horrifying to watch… I almost threw up when I was downloading that video.
The most painful quotes:
-When the Russians took me, I was sent to a technical school where I was subjected to daily false stories about Ukrainians and sometimes even insults. One day, I was called to the principal’s office and when I got there, she had citizenship documents ready for me to sign. I was stunned and disgusted. I had never been more afraid, but I refused to become a Russian citizen.
The principal glowered at me with hatred in her eyes. She berated me for being "stupid." Moments later, I was expelled and sent packing, in a country that I did not know, and that hated who I was.
-After Save Ukraine helped me return home, I needed to get my brother out too. I found him in a new foster family, but he was not the boy I knew. He had been subjected to months of Russian propaganda and manipulation. He was like a puppet, saying things that I knew he did not believe – that Ukraine was run by Nazis, that nobody in Ukraine cared about him and that he had no future unless he became a Russian citizen.
-When I begged him to return home with me, he refused. Hour after hour ticked by as we argued. As I was about to lose hope, he came to his senses and agreed to come home with me. We were lucky. But there are 19,000 kidnapped Ukrainian children still in Russia. The Russian government bombards them with propaganda and abuse to weaken their Ukrainian identity. Many are punished for speaking Ukrainian.
I'm in tears: "... I feel very sad and have no desire to live". Russians' obsession is to break Ukrainians mentally, including children.
Ukraine has handed over to Qatar a list with the names of 561 Ukrainian children who were taken to Russia. This was reported by Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets. ▪️Wait for the return of a group of Ukrainian children home. We are not disclosing details at this time. ▪️ Talking about the return of orphans and children deprived of parental care. Qatar agreed to work on the issue of their return to Ukraine. Preliminarily, there may be more than 3,600 such children. ▪️Qatar agreed to participate in negotiations with Russia on the return of civilians illegally detained by Russia. Lubinets also once again refuted Russian propaganda: there were no direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. All negotiations are mediated by Qatar.
Only on 27 April 2023, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe recognized that the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia meets the criteria of genocide.
11 years old Ilya tells about his experiences in occupied Mariupol (Donetsk region, Ukraine). Ilya's mother died in his hand after being injured by a russian bomb, he later was kidnapped by russian forces.
Local kids are collecting things that belonged to their dead friend.
A book on Chemistry for the 7th grade, children drawings, younger brother's book on Math for 1st grade, an Alphabet book, old photos...
In Synelnikove, Russian missile killed a whole family in their own house - a grandmother, her daughter and her two granddaughters - 14 and 8 years old. Doctors were able to reanimate the youngest child - a boy of 6.
In the past 24 hours, in Rafah alone, 11 homes have been struck and levelled on top of their residents. This resulted in at least 28 people killed, 11 of which are children and many remain missing under the rubble.
Israel never stopped but it is definitely intensifying its operations.
Keep your eyes on Rafah but also speak up about Rafah and about Gaza. Do what you can because millions of lives are facing a massive threat with absolutely nowhere to go.
Not gonna lie, my morale is at the lowest point it's been since the beginning of the invasion. Russians are successfully occupying more and more territories and shell frontline regions every day. People are dying, our culture and herritage is destroyed. International aid dwindled significantly because of american bullshit. Mobilization law has been signed and there is a chance that my family members get conscripted soon. Don't even get me started on internal political problems. A bunch of articles in foreign media talking about our defeat and "peace talks" (what a joke).
It feels like there were no at least moderately good news in a while. On top of that, the feeling that we are screaming into the void is stronger than ever. I'm happy when I see a foreigner online supporting us and spreading the word, because it gets rarer. Ukrainians feel like none of what's happening gets outside our info bubble. Most likely no one but Ukrainians will see this post either. Honestly don't know what to make of all of this.
24.02.2022.
The day that changed my life forever.
24th of February 2022 should have been my usual day. No, not usual. A wonderful day. I should have been checked with a doctor, gave notice to teachers in high school of my absence, and then fly away on vacation, my parents wanted it so much.
On 23rd of February 2022 I felt happy. I had a secure, happy life, preparing to finals, hanging out with my friends, already having an offer from university.
Until 5AM 24.02.2022.
I had not a single class in my school since then.
I haven’t seen my friend group in 2 years.
I didn’t have my finals.
We did not have that vacation.
“Daughter, wake up. This old psychotic man attacked us. We are leaving.”
That was my first photo of the day, trying sarcastically keep myself normal. I remember that actual emptiness, reading my classmates texts about how their windows were shaking because of explosions, the sky was orange. They sent that video.
He called it “a special military operation”.
I collected random clothes, some hobby stuff just to keep my sanity, grabbed my pet, emptied my safety locker. I was scared that russians would intrude into our home and steal all my savings, so I throw away key to that lock. This key became my symbol of war, I have never found it even after return.
When I with my parents and pet got out of flat to car we heard for the very first time air raid siren. We would hear so many more of them, we would learn to differentiate them, but then we were confused.
It was my second photo. People were going away. Foot, cars, bicycles. I remember such a surreal picture. Some moms were carrying their toddlers, one woman was carrying a bucket of water with turtles, other people were carrying cages with parrots, with dogs, with cats, with exotic pets despite air raid siren, temperature, rain. Everyone was so confused and scared.
Few days later the road we were riding was occupied. Bridges destroyed. Factories burnt. Supermarkets demolished. Houses in ruins. Road in holes. On the side of the road burnt cars with “DO NOT TOUCH, POSSIBLY EXPLOSIVE”. That gut wrenching feeling seeing photos of dead bodies and recognising the place.
But back then it was still lively, not a road of death. I remember reading news then. First victims, first shelling. Invasion from East. Invasion from Kharkiv region. Invasion from Crimea. Invasion from Chernihiv. Invasion from Zhytomyr. And we were in Zhytomyr region at that moment. Explosions in Kyiv. The border was destroyed.
I felt nothing. Just emptiness.
This precious girl was keeping my head cool all the road. She was also scared and irritated, but she was so strong, such an amazing girl. I am so proud of her.
We were heading to my grandparents who lived closer to West Ukraine, so we would be safer. The road that takes usually just 4 hours but that time it took 13 hours. 13 hours of driving exhausted and nerved. We saw soldiers, trucks, jets, how barricades were built, signs were removed.
But we made it. We were lucky. Lucky to be alive, to have family alive and mostly close to West, further from russia. Even though, part of my extended family still was under occupation in Chernihiv region, suffering from such close border with belarus.
When we arrived, we were just silent. Then collected mattresses for shelter, asked grandpa to grab some patrol (we knew that they would definitely destroy reservoirs and literally next day the started doing that), and just fell asleep in something that we arrived in, being so scared.
That day I also cut ties with russian friend who I am shamed to admit having. He was proving me that this is just a military operation, no one would be harmed.
Then, arrived spring that I will never forget but at the same time never remember. I remember 10 people in one floor house. I remember the whistle of rocket that woke us up. I remember sirens. I remember news. I remember losing hope. I remember first photos after deoccupation of Kyiv region. I remember how forgotten friend of my dad suddenly called him saying that his city is fully destroyed, his neighbour right on his eyes was exploded attempting to get into the car and evacuate.
I remember my first mental breakdown. How I was crying in the darkness, but quietly so no one would notice.
We were able to return home three months later. But we are just lucky. Someone would never return. Someone is not even alive to see their home again. Someone’s home is forever destroyed.
I was lucky that I have secured my place at foreign university before war, but my whole family is still in Ukraine.
War is not over at all. 20% of Ukraine is occupied. So many displaced civilians, so many deaths. No one could even count, we do not have any access to bodies. Only way to identify is to deoccupy and find mass graves. No other means. Children are suffering from PTSD even in such a young age. Almost in every city, big or small, you would find graveyards covered in Ukrainian flag, grave of the soldier.
Maybe media does not talk that much of us, but it doesn’t mean that everything is alright. Avdiivka is destroyed, right now operation searching for people under debris of the civilian house after attack is undergoing.
And this is happening all the time.
Who was punished for Olenivka? Who was punished for destruction of Kakhovka Dam? Who was punished for all fully destroyed cities? Who was responsible for all that absolutely atrocious videos torturing Ukrainian soldiers?
Please, remember, Ukraine is still on fire. People are still dying. Soldiers cannot even counterattack because they do not have enough ammo, just for protection. Information war is also waging, sharing all that misinformation, Nazi narratives, russian propaganda.
Remember.
Help.
Share.
russia is a terrorist state.
Glory to Ukraine.
Glory to the Heroes.
I will also join my fellow Ukrainians in sharing how 24th of February 2022 went for us.
I didn't go to sleep that night. The day before I had a check-in call regarding my uni project. All of my group mates did. I don't remember what I was doing so late at night but the fact is - I didn't sleep. My partner was already in bed but still scrolling her phone. Suddenly she sits up and says that russians on social media are saying that "we all will be fucked", and that Ukrainians are commenting on hearing loud bangs in their cities. We sit in silence shocked for a couple of minutes. Then we hear it as well. A loud bang. The kind that shakes the ground. We hear car sirens. A moment passes before we hear another one. I started packing my backpack with my documents and money. My dad says it won't be necessary, that they are just attacking the strategic military buildings. I don't remember how the rest of the night/early morning went. I don't remember if I've slept. In the morning the president had announced that the war has started.
Two weeks later I would leave for Belgium with my partner to not sit on my family's shoulders, to not be a burden. Everything is going relatively well for me: I found a job, I have a place to live, I am not struggling with food. Of course I had to sacrifice my degree for the lack of language and my hobbies for the lack of free time. That is why I don't draw much anymore. I just hope that in the future I will be able to do it again.
Two years passed and I feel like people abroad got used to the war. I am not fully aware of the whole situation but from my side it feels like people are forgetting about us. Like we are receiving less support. Like we are starting to loose. I just hope that it's not true and that it just feels that way.
Though Internet has been really hostile to Ukrainian voices lately. And there is so much misinformation. My partner met a woman near the station who pretended to be Ukrainian to beg for money. She didn't speak any Ukrainian or, for that matter, russian, just English. She didn't expect someone to talk back to her in Ukrainian.
I just hope that we will win the war and it will happen soon. My whole being hurts when I read the news about russian war crimes and the tragedies that just keep happening to my people.
If you have anything to spare, consider donating to the Ukrainian army. Reach out to your government, show up to protests. I'm tired of seeing only Ukrainians doing it. We can't do this alone, we will need everything that we can get.
https://u24.gov.ua/
Слава Україні! Героям слава!
І мирного неба!
I often think about Hlodan family. Please take a moment to learn about them.
On April 23, 2022, on Easter Eve, russian missile hit the Tiras residential complex in Odesa, Ukraine. Eight people were killed, including Yurii's family - his wife Valeriia, three-month-old daughter Kira and mother-in-law Liudmyla. Yurii survived, because at the moment he went to the shop.
Look at baby Kira's tiny pink hat. Cute little onesie. That baby was so wanted and loved. Mother's post on Facebook form February says "These were the best 40 weeks ever. Our girl is 1 month old now. Daddy got her her first flowers. It's a whole new level of happiness".
Yurii donated diapers, one of the few things he could find in destroyed apartment, to the charity. He also took photo albums, his wife's collection of sugar packets, handwritten notes.
Yurii spoke about his wife very lovingly and tenderly: "Her ability to communicate with different people, to understand people, the way she knew how to talk, how beautifully she wrote... You can’t even imagine how she wrote! And what kind of mother she was... You can’t even imagine! This is a mother, this is a friend, this is a daughter - with the best qualities... I simply cannot find another person like her. Person like this can only be given by God once".
After losing his family, Yurii decided to join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On 5 November, 2023, his colleague Oleksandr Yakovenko reported that Yurii was killed at the front. The whole family is gone.
hearing officials and public figures criticize biden openly on talk shows and seeing newspaper headlines sharply decry israel killing aid workers is making me feel kind of crazy. like it could've been like this the whole time. before 40,000 palestinians were killed and the infrastructure of gaza destroyed. it could've been like this when people gathered their children in plastic bags at al-ahli hospital, when a poet and his family were assassinated for a joke, when journalists buried their families on air, when children were targeted by drones on camera, when a little boy holding his grandmother's hand in one hand and a white flag in another watched her get shot and die in front of him, when a cameraman was left to bleed out with a live counter for hours while his rescuers were shot, when patients were bulldozed in their tents in the courtyard of a hospital, when four babies were left die and decompose alone in their hospital beds, when six year old hind rajab was crying for help trapped in a car with the corpses of her family on the phone with the red crescent for hours until she and the rescuers sent to get her were killed too.