#mariinka

The world, don't forget that in Ukraine it's even more cities like Mariupol have been mercilessly wiped off by Russia. Extremely horrific war crimes keep registering. Death toll can't be calculated now. We urgently need your support. Please 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).

As such a reminder: this war has been going on for ten years not two. Just because people in the West decided to remember that IDPs exist and Russia annaxed Crimea within the past two years, doesn't change the fact that Russia invaded Crimea ten years ago all of my paternal family is from Donetsk/Luhansk and have been internally displaced for years. I am privileged that my lived experience is that of IDPs, refugee registrations, destroyed property, and not lives lost. I am lucky to say I lost the city of Mariinka not specific people. R*ssians are delusional and genocidal. When ~80% of your country supports a war you cannot look at the victims and declare that they are Russaphobic for the very accurate assessment that the majority of R*ssians want Ukrainians dead and do not believe in the sovereignty of a Ukranian state.

As such if you have the financial means, I leave a couple fundraiser links here, both for the armed forces and humanitarian aid. While humanitarian aid is greatly appreciate, I urge people to remember we save ten dollars on humanitarian aid for every dollar folks give directly to the armed forces. This is not about finances, but about the fact that humanitarian aid is vital but doesn't stop Russian forces. Drones and artillery shells and the bravery of Ukrainian armed forces does. We ask only for armament, we will do the rest ourselves.

Finally, while I acknowledge that we live in a finite attention economy, and I chose to spotlight Ukraine today (because the onus is on us as Ukranians, no one else will advocate for us) doesn't mean peopel shouldn't stand in solidarity and support other folks suffering from armed conflict. I personally stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine (I urge people to keep boycotting organizations funding genocide and to continue calling for a ceasfire), of Armenia, Myanmar, Sudan, Syria and the DRC. We arguably understand each other's experiences the most, and can achive lasting change only through collation. I also acknowledge the racist treatment of most of these wars. It is fundamentally unjust my family has an easier time with refugee registration because we are white.

Hit It Hard

"Because of the shooting, workers stay all night at the bakery. It’s too dangerous to go home before morning."

In today's post about music, I want to share some stories of our incredible defenders and more. So get ready for some real stories about the men of steel who are among us. 

«Orest» (kztsky - in Twitter) - our "eyes" at Azovstal. In September 2022, more than 200 people returned to the territory controlled by Ukraine from Russian captivity, more than a hundred of them were Azov soldiers. Dmytro ("Orest") Kozatsky also returned then. Before leaving Azovstal, he posted photos about the lives of Mariupol's defenders and allowed them to be distributed while he was in captivity. These photos, taken during the defense of the besieged plant, went viral. His most important mission is to remind us of the Azov prisoners of war. Do not forget about them. Many Azov people have been in captivity for 22 months (!). Song: Skladno - Azovstal

Read this. There are many such unbelievable stories like that.

Song: Fall Out Boy feat. RM - Champion

Lines "If I can live through this, I can do anything" - it's about our prisoners of war. 

Russia has taken away another defender for whom aggression, injustice, lies, and hypocrisy were unacceptable. Once again best Ukrainian people get killed while Russians stay unpunished. Where's justice? 

Song: Ado - Value

That's Mariinka and what Russia has done with it. So much pain and grief.

Song: Yarmak - Babylon ("The sun rises behind the spoil heaps" - it's about the symbol of the Donetsk region). I'm on the verge of tears about all the meanings in this song and clip. Urgently recommend watching it. There are English subs. Don't hesitate.

The photo with the hiding statue is mine. That's how Ukrainians save our culture and heritage from Russia in Lviv and all cities of Ukraine. I wish Ukraine would be fully liberated and rebuilt. But it's only possible with the help and support of good people and countries in the democratic world. So I cry out to the world. Please 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).