Or, resources
You’ve probably heard by now that the diplomatic efforts to dissuade Putin from sending Russians forces into Ukraine failed and an invasion began on Thursday. There’s been violence in the big cities, most notably Kyiv, and people are fleeing the country, looking for any passage out, as happened in Kabul hardly six months ago.
One of my closest friends has extended family still living in a small town near the capital and is very occupied maintaining contact with them. Since my involvement in the UFFB last fall, I have several more friends and acquaintances with extremely tight ties to, if not whole lives in, Ukraine, and have witnessed their pain and distress up close.
So today I’m following their lead and forwarding resources for providing aid to the Ukrainian army and people. Whatever you can give or do really does make a difference.
Germany, and Berlin in particular, has expressed solidarity with Ukraine. I wouldn’t be surprised if we in the city see an influx of refugees akin to the mid-2010s. But then, a post-Merkel age is underway, and this is a different sort of crisis (and may yet turn into another sort of crisis), so I can’t pretend to say for certain. In the meantime, wherever you are in the world, take a look and see what you can contribute. This is likely only the beginning.
Image: photo taken by the author at a demonstration last weekend—see more here
Register for a session of the 2022 Creative Writing Masterclass Series!