“In today’s world, where we live, there is no longer someone else’s war. None of you can feel safe when there is a war in Ukraine, when there is a war in Europe.” – Volodymyr Zelensky
TL:DR if you have a conscience, donate to help Ukraine. If you’re not comfortable with supporting their military struggle, at least give humanitarian aid. Links below.
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If you had told me a fortnight ago that I would donate my first week’s wage at my new job to a warzone in Ukraine, split between the defending armed forces and humanitarian aid, you would have been speaking to a different person, living in a different world. And that person would have laughed off the thought. Add to that the idea that I might almost come to physical blows with members of my own family over politics, and for me we’d have been discussing an alternate reality.
I’m as guilty as anyone of complacency, living in an insulated Western First World nation, knowing little of the kind of suffering and hardship that has been typical of the human experience. The reality of course is that, while many of us enjoy a stability and quality of life that is unprecedented, we do not live in an end-of-history world. Peace, progress and safety are not guaranteed.
This has never been made so clear to me as in the days since Thursday 24th of February, when Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. I never really believed, following dozens of daily denials by the Russian authorities, that an invasion would really take place. Footage of Ukraine (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2rBUvWKSZw&ab_channel=baldandbankrupt) showed a peaceful, relatable European nation – people sitting in coffee shops, glued to their phones or chatting with friends, going to work or pushing prams along. They occupied the same world I know, in many ways. And war in my world was unthinkable. The various leaders in the West likely felt the same.
And yet it did happen, and Russian vehicles went rolling into Ukraine. It turned the known world for many people upside down.
Before even speaking of the emotional side of this conflict, it’s truthfully been a fascinating thing to observe. The amount of Social Media coverage, giving minute by minute accounts of the war, is jaw-dropping. Misinformation has been commonplace. Seeing a modern war with modern weaponry, in modern cities, between people’s with shared language and history; Seeing POW’s calling their families from captivity, and civilians and officials practically live-streaming the war… it’s overwhelming. It’s unprecedented. One comment I saw online: “When I served In Afghanistan some years ago, we used a GoPro and couldn’t even check the footage until we got to a PC, which was rarely. [Seeing it happen live] is unbelievable.”
But on top of this morbid fascination is a stunning cocktail of contrasting emotions, many of them of course negative. Being shaken by how quickly a situation can deteriorate and how fast all that you know can become uncertain. Seeing how openly and boldly a senior nation state can lie and threaten at every turn, and twist every event to make black into white and up to down (nations lie, but the quantity and quality has been shocking). Seeing Ukrainian civilians forced to take up arms, and Russian conscripts who are practically children being thrown into war by surprise.
This should also be expected to get much, much worse. Ukrainian utilities are beginning to fail, and supplies dwindle. Meanwhile, Russia had been treading lightly as they tried to minimise damage and casualties to maintain the pretence that this was a limited military operation; but now, Russia is warning civilians to flee cities, and broadcasting stations are being targeted – which implies something terrifying is about to take place. The worst human suffering Europe has experienced in decades is about to be practically live-streamed to us, in detail we’ve never seen.
One totally unanticipated side of the war has been the bizarre strength of positive emotions I’ve felt. Just as I’m in awe of Russia’s relentless lies – no invasion will happen, just military exercises, ‘special military operation’, no casualties, and everything else – I’m amazed and comforted by Western cooperation, by the unity and passion of so many different nations. Europe especially has seemingly awoken and come together, working quickly, no longer the complacent idealists (Germany especially, in a historic moment, realising that force is still sadly a part of this world, and substantially boosting its military). I feel proud to be a European, referendums be damned.
And as though I needed another reason, I’m moved to tears by the many people who’ve chosen to join Ukraine in it’s struggle personally, being obliged to do so by nothing except their own conscience and sense of duty to their fellow man (and in no small part by the incredible resolve of Zelensky). Social media has again shown itself to have real power to mobilise people. Though it’s a tragedy that European resolve and unity required such a crisis to come about, come about it has.
At the darkest possible time, I feel a real sense of hope for the future, a united and determined Europe, and a united Western World. But first, we must do what we can to ensure a Ukrainian victory, to ensure that democracy and unity defeat authoritarianism, here and now. And millions have come together to show they can do exactly that.
To the point then at last. I, like you, am a part of this world, and we have a responsibility to make it a better place. Consequently, I have donated the first week of earnings from my new job, split between the Ukrainian military and the British Red Cross. If you truly give a shit about human suffering, and you care for the liberties and democracies that you enjoy, you can put your money where your mouth is.
(Links valid as of 02/03/22)
British Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal
They say that all that is required for evil to succeed is for good people to do nothing, and so I will do something, and ask that you do the same. And I will try to remember the lessons of 2022 for the rest of my life.
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