Help Ukraine

Me in Hotyanovka, Ukraine (where we had our dacha) in the late 80s

Thank you for reaching out and for your kind words over the past few weeks as the unprovoked “special operation” in Ukraine has escalated to an all-out war and humanitarian catastrophe.

As many of you know, I was born in Kyiv. Most of my family emigrated as refugees to the United States in 1989. We feel a connection to the land and a deep empathy for both the Ukrainians and Russians trapped in the crosshairs of Putin’s unrelenting narcissism and dictatorial ambition.

Innocent Ukrainians are trapped in cities and towns with increasing destruction to essential civilian infrastructure and limited access to basic resources like food and utilities. Mothers on both sides are watching their sons, fathers and husbands head off to a war neither country asked for. Women are also taking up arms and joining the fight. Many fighters will not return home, leaving tragic gaps in their families and the social fabric. And for what?

Untold numbers of Russian soldiers are just teenagers who thought they were being taken somewhere for military training. There were reports of a group of soldiers who were stranded for days without food or water, neither a plan to account for and transport their dead nor an evacuation strategy. Meanwhile, Ukrainians are taking shelter in building basements and the subway, and babies are being born in hospital basements as Russian attacks on civilian targets continue.

Many in Russia are against this war — they have protested at great risk to themselves (arrest, detainment, beatings) because they understand that an attack on Ukraine is violence against their brother. Both sides are bound to lose from infrastructure losses and economic devastation, not to mention the human cost.

I can’t help but acknowledge that with a few different strokes of luck, my family and I could easily be in the same boat as many Ukrainians today. Regretfully, the lingering effects of this needless conflict will be felt for generations to come, as yet another generation of children knows the barbarism of war. Please offer whatever assistance you can.

1. Stay Informed

Regretfully, in these digital times, information can be easily manipulated to influence the public’s perception of what’s happening on the ground. All of Russia’s independent media is currently cut off. Russian access to Facebook has been blocked and access to Twitter has been restricted. Ruassian state media is simply spewing propaganda about how soldiers are in Ukraine to liberate the Ukranians from Nazis. The Russian Federation is also threatening the public with up to 15 years in jail for spreading “fake news” about the war’s (oops I meant “special operation’s”) legitimacy and casualties. Here are some of the most reliable sources we’ve found:

Twitter Lists (to get a lot of info all in one place—just click the “follow” button below the list name and summary)
News Orgs List
Pundits/Opinion List

Ukrainian News Twitter feeds
Kyiv Independent
Kyiv Post

Ukrainian Government Twitter feeds
https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa
https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba

Foreign Press (links to Ukraine/Russia-specific content)
New York Times
BBC
Independent.co.uk

Telegram
Telegram Ukraine Channel (in Russian language)
(Telegram is encrypted so more journalists are using it.)

3. Ask your Employer About Donation Matching

Multiply the effectiveness of your employee donations by asking your employer for a 100% match. Here’s a script you can use:

Dear XYZ,

I am writing to request that our company create an immediate 100% matching program for any employee donations made to Ukrainian humanitarian aid organizations (Care.org, Doctors without Borders, IRC) in light of the country's recent invasion by the Russian Federation.

This unprovoked invasion has been marked by war crimes including the targeting of civilian infrastructure, an attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility, deadly shelling by Russian forces despite planned civilian evacuations and more atrocities.

While this conflict may seem far away from the safety and comfort of our desks, it is essential for our company to assist Ukraine and stand with our western allies. The Russian Federation’s brutal tactics in Ukraine are not only a threat to Ukrainians, but to the rule of law and all of western democracy as a whole.

Please join us in supporting the Ukrainian people and standing for democratic ideals during these unprecedented and historic times.

Signed,

(employee signatures)