The entire world has come to a crawl as we watch the events unfold in Ukraine.
The situation is unpredictable – while it is certainly grim, there is also generosity in the madness. We’re going to dig in a little bit here – if you would rather skip ahead to find out how to help, just scroll on past.
A Brief Update on Ukraine and Russia
A synthesis on the Russia-Ukraine situation. The information contained within the update is a conglomeration by Kyla Scanlon of other’s thoughts on the Ukraine-Russia situation. Kyla’s goal is to maximize signal-to-noise.
Current Context: European Relations
The people of Ukraine have shown incredible courage – inspiring action in the West at a rate that was unimaginable last week.
Instead of following the original promise of a “rising curve of sanctions,” the West has since 1) directly sanctioned the assets of Putin 2) made it impossible for the Russian Central Bank to transact in USD and 3) removed several Russian Banks from the SWIFT network.
Countries across Europe have taken additional steps in the past few days as well, including:
- Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz has pledged to exceed NATO targets for defense spending and has vowed to arm Ukrainians fighting Russian troops.
- Hungary: Prime Minister Viktor Orban (a long-time Putin admirer) pledged support for the EU’s sanctions against Russia.
- Turkey: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President, imposed a 1930’s convention that could complicate Russia’s attempts to operate in the Black Sea.
- Switzerland: Breaking its historically neutral status, Switzerland adopted the EU sanctions, freezing Putin’s assets.
“The Fight is Here”
In an iconic moment, President Zelenskyy rejected an offer from America to exit safely, saying:
“The fight is here. I need ammunition. Not a ride.”
And Zelenskyy is far from the only brave soul in Ukraine. Their citizens, people from surrounding countries, volunteers from different organizations – there are countless examples of heroism, selflessness, and courage.
One story in particular continues to circulate in our general consciousness: the sunflower story.
A video made its way around the web quickly last week after a Ukrainian woman approached heavily armed soldiers, asking them several questions before attempting to hand the soldier a fistful of sunflower seeds.
“Take these seeds and put them in your pockets, so at least sunflowers will grow when you all lie down here.”
You see, the sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine and the woman was implying that the invaders would die on Ukrainian land.
We have also seen incredible bravery from those outside of the Ukraine – like Ines.
Follow Ines’ Journey
Ines is a WordPresser who took it upon herself to drive from her hometown in the Netherlands to Poland with a car full of supplies for Ukrainians fleeing to Polish land.
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Follow her on Twitter. You can also donate and learn more about her drive to Poland on her website.
How to Help Ukraine 🌻
Across our parent brand, StellarWP, and our company, LiquidWeb, we have some employees in Ukraine, hundreds of customers that operate in Ukraine, and friends and family in the area. Like us, you may have similar connections.
Beyond the implications the Russian invasion has on the world stage, crises can significantly impact us personally and many of us are compelled to act in some way. Here are some ways you can help.
Voices of Children
Voices of Children helps children affected by war by providing psychological and psychosocial support to help children over the trauma and consequences of conflict.
Hospital Medical Battalion
The Hospital Medical Battalion is not funded by the state and relies on donations to support the crew and paramedics who serve directly on the frontline.
Come Back Alive
Come Back Alive directly supports the Ukrainian Army. Designate that your funds support the army or support the administrative costs of running a charitable organization.
UN Refugee Agency
If you’re American, your gift will be matched by Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively (up to a million dollars).
Find how to give in your country.
Who to Follow for Ukraine Conflict News
Here are some Twitter accounts from organizations as well as reporters and journalists with updates on Ukraine.
- Illia Ponomarenko, Defense Reporter with The Kyiv Independent
- The Kyiv Independent, English-Language Journalism in Ukraine
- Terrell Jermaine Starr, Independent Journalist
- Amnesty International, Global Humanitarian Organization
- List of journalists, reporters, and analysts tweeting on Ukraine Crisis
One Last Word
If one reader learns something new, finds one new source of information, or donates to one cause, then this newsletter has done its job. If you found this useful, please forward it on to anyone who might also be interested.
We’ll return to our somewhat regularly scheduled content in a day or two.
We hope you’re doing what feels right for you and/or your organization.
Gentle reminder: drink some water, switch away from the news for a little while, and mute anyone in your social channels who deserves to be muted.
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