Liz In Ukraine

It’s been an interesting week.  Since announcing my blog and buymeacoffee page I have had some really interesting conversations with people about Ukraine.  They break into three main categories: –

1 “Tell me more – tell me more” The genuinely interested about the whole what, why, when, where, who with and, how.  These peeps have a genuine wish to know as much as they can about what lead me to where I am now. 

Well, it started in 2021 whilst the UK’s press focused on Boris and his crew attending Beano’s in Number ten during the COVID outbreak.  Putin was building forces up all-around the borders of Ukraine.  

As the world’s leaders watched and issued assurances that Putin had given his word that this was all just an exercise and the troops would all return who soon. I wrote a post of Facebook that basically said “I think shit is about to get real but I really hope I’m wrong”

I watched the russian tanks roll in, the refugees flee, and everyday people change their daily role to that of a defender of their country.  It still galls me that, as a world, we sat by and let this happen.  We watched as children where kidnapped and relocated to russia to be taught a new history; a new language. Invading armies looted everything including animals from zoos.  I could say so much more but if you watch 20 days In Mariupol the story from those who were there speaks far more than my words.

2. “I would help but…”  then comes a huge line of excuses as to why people can’t/wont.   Now when I hear that, if it is followed by ‘can I get you a drink?’  My reply is always “sure, go to my page and buy me a coffee.”

3. “What’s it got to do with us anyway? We [the UK] have got enough problems of our own to sort out!”  This one, I have to admit, causes me just a tad of irritation.  The UK and its residents has 99 problems but bombs dropping on our schools, hospitals, cultural buildings and residential areas is not one of them. 

I have to make sure I start any reply to this with a slow intake of breath and a silent count to ten.  My stock answer is to discuss the hypothesis that if putin wins and keeps going across Europe when does it become ‘something to do with us?’

If the invasion route putin takes goes through Poland, Germany, The Netherlands then France when do ‘we’ decide that it IS time to get involved.

If putin is successful and stops in Ukraine. If he carries on with his efforts to totally destroy the Ukrainian peoples, culture and language do we stand mutely by and allow the genocide of a nation that is the second largest country in Europe?

As I said it’s been an interesting week. I’ve chatted to lots of people and been, in the main, mostly surprised with the interest and support I have received; even if people do think I am slightly nuts for going to a live theatre of war to offer a little help but mostly to bear witness. On my return I can talk about what I have seen, heard, felt, smelt first hand and in doing so I hope I can help the organisations I support even further.

If you would like to know more about what organisations are seeking help in Ukraine
click here