Small and simple things we can do to support Ukraine.

[LifeIsWhat]

A brain storm post really. Rather than being anxious, can we do anything, however small to support/show support to Ukraine.

• I texted my formal Ukraine colleague, who is the loveliest girl, that she can call me at any time if she is too stressed and need a chat/meet up.
• I clicked the 'support sign' on Ukraine related linkedin post (the only social media I am on), so more people can see them.
• If there is an anti war/support Ukraine protest, I would join.

I know they are tiny things, but at least it made a difference for one person. That is better than zero. Please share your ideas and things you have done that are helpful.

I am worried about nuclear war. But I think it is more likely to be chemical and biological tbh.

I think our best hope as a world is that one of Putin's inner circle takes him out.

Watching videos of Ukrainian citizens on social media they are begging people to protest in their countries. I agree that it's sort of virtue signalling.... but imagine how much it would mean to you to see people all over the world supporting you in any way they can. We can't join the war but want you to know we are on your side. We are against the Russian invasion.

@istandwithukraine

What I dont understand is why the "west" , Europe etc dont intervene? We have gone into Iraq and Afghanistan under the premise of establishing democracy but yet won't help an already democratic country fight for its future?

I hope you and your children, grandchildren, brothers etc have all signed up or would you expect everyone else to?

A really simple thing this government could do is to launch a resettlement scheme for refugees who have been displaced.

You could write to your MP about that. There are currently 5m who have fled, I feel the Uk should take at least 10%.

Boycott Russia and all its products e.g. vodka.

Donate to Ukrainian charities.

Contact your MP to urge more action in support of Ukraine.

be extremely careful about donating to fundraising sites that might end up supporting Ukraine - but could equally be scams that end up lining a fraudsters pockets or funding criminal activity.
sadly, as with many disasters and emergencies, a few will see it only as a money making opportunity.
check that your giving to a registered charity

@istandwithukraine

What I dont understand is why the "west" , Europe etc dont intervene? We have gone into Iraq and Afghanistan under the premise of establishing democracy but yet won't help an already democratic country fight for its future?

Because that would result in WW3. Putin has a nuclear

Fly a flag, send money, welcome any civilians that make it here.
“Someone on MN said about donating to Ukrainian animal shelters and got roundly vilified and laughed at- but the reality is that there are many Ukrainians staying put because of their animals or because of their shelters.”- Don’t laugh at people- be a decent human being!

A friend in the Ukraine has given me links and asked for donations to the Ukrainian army. If anyone thinks they wants that info I'll post it.

This is a great thread!

But I see that the Ukrainian institute link above has the bank account details too.

@istandwithukraine

What I dont understand is why the "west" , Europe etc dont intervene? We have gone into Iraq and Afghanistan under the premise of establishing democracy but yet won't help an already democratic country fight for its future?

Because nobody in Iraq and Afghanistan has nuclear weapons ( despite all the gumpf about weapons of mass destruction which referred mostly to biological warefare anyway and not nuclear and in any case was not true)

Russia is a proper enemy with a serious and unpredictable dictator in charge and real long range nuclear weapons. Can you not see the difference between getting into a war with them and with countries like Afghanistan and Iraq. ?

Sadly, there's nothing.

I find it really odd how everyone is up in arms about Ukraine when theres a lot more going in the world. The US continues to bomb Syria,Ethiopia etc but because its not in the mainstream media nobody gives a toss.

Theres a real immigration crisis on the border of UK and France but everyone seems to have forgotten about that. Funnily enough that problem is a direct cause of UK and USs involvement in the contries of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya.

Theres nothing wrong with supporting Ukraine citizens but OP theres a lot more to this conflict than meets the eye. Just ask your Ukrainian friend. This will blow over in the next few weeks and everyone will have forgotten about it. Heck, they have forgotten about Covid too!

Stop supporting football teams with Russian owners.
Stop voting for a party that buddies up with the rich oligarchy in London.
We have given to Unicef, my cousin is in Ukraine working for the UN and said Unicef is definitely helping there.

What I dont understand is why the "west" , Europe etc dont intervene? We have gone into Iraq and Afghanistan under the premise of establishing democracy but yet won't help an already democratic country fight for its future?

Because the West stages interventions when it brings financial and/or geopolitical benefits which are deemed greater than the cost in lives lost. Against Russia we’d risk (best case) 10s possibly 100s of thousands of lives lost and trillions spent for no certain gain. Like Afghanistan. Worst case would be WW3.

@istandwithukraine

What I dont understand is why the "west" , Europe etc dont intervene? We have gone into Iraq and Afghanistan under the premise of establishing democracy but yet won't help an already democratic country fight for its future?

There are 3 lessons to learn from history:

1. Don't go to war with Russia.
2. Don't go to war with Russia.
3. Don't go to war with Russia.

I find it really odd how everyone is up in arms about Ukraine when theres a lot more going in the world. The US continues to bomb Syria,Ethiopia etc but because its not in the mainstream media nobody gives a toss.

It’s true. I have sympathy with the plight of people in the Ukraine. But the vast majority of people just follow media narratives like sheep. Russia believed, due to repeated verbal assurances from Western and NATO leaders around 1990 , that the constant eastern expansion of NATO (right up to Russia’s borders) would not be allowed to occur. Since then the West has gleefully gone back on its word as each Eastern country has joined NATO one after the next after the next, with basically only Ukraine remaining. NATO and the West went back on its word thinking that a (relatively) poor Russia would be unable/unwilling to do much about it. And here we are.

I would like to boycott Russian products/companies owned or with majority Russian shareholders. Does anyone know of a reliable list anywhere? Special emphasis on those connected to Putrid Putin? I don’t buy vodka or follow football sadly…

What I dont understand is why the "west" , Europe etc dont intervene? We have gone into Iraq and Afghanistan under the premise of establishing democracy but yet won't help an already democratic country fight for its future?

You don't understand that... Russia has one of the largest armed forces and weapon stockpiles in the world? Including nuclear weapons that can be deployed to strike pretty much any target on the planet?
... Have you been asleep for the last 70 years or so? Do you know anything about history and geography?

Intervening in small, geo-politically isolated, and relatively poorly armed countries is piss-easy (and yet, not guaranteed to succeed...) compared to taking on a nuclear super power. No one has really ever tried that. For good reasons. Unless you think you know better?

@supermoonrising

I find it really odd how everyone is up in arms about Ukraine when theres a lot more going in the world. The US continues to bomb Syria,Ethiopia etc but because its not in the mainstream media nobody gives a toss.

It’s true. I have sympathy with the plight of people in the Ukraine. But the vast majority of people just follow media narratives like sheep. Russia believed, due to repeated verbal assurances from Western and NATO leaders around 1990 , that the constant eastern expansion of NATO (right up to Russia’s borders) would not be allowed to occur. Since then the West has gleefully gone back on its word as each Eastern country has joined NATO one after the next after the next, with basically only Ukraine remaining. NATO and the West went back on its word thinking that a (relatively) poor Russia would be unable/unwilling to do much about it. And here we are.

Farage, is that you?

@Suzi888 Fly a flag, send money, welcome any civilians that make it here.
“Someone on MN said about donating to Ukrainian animal shelters and got roundly vilified and laughed at- but the reality is that there are many Ukrainians staying put because of their animals or because of their shelters.”- Don’t laugh at people- be a decent human being!

Do you have a link for any animal charities?

If everyone is so afraid of Putin I don't understand why he's waited this long to do what he's clearly always wanted to do.

Eh?

Why are people contacting former colleagues to tell them they can chat, or to try and get them to protest.

Seriously don’t do that.

If someone is actually a friend then have a conversation with them but don’t just go through your Rolodex looking for the Russians and Ukrainians you used to know. That’s bonkers.

[quote istandwithukraine]@AlternativePerspective

So we are only prepared to defend democratic values when the threat of retaliation is "small" - I guess that makes us look like cowards really? Western nations and America should be ashamed [/quote]
Would you send your son to Ukraine?

Sorry, that was rude of me supermoonrising. But seriously, it reads as if you are justifying Putins actions. In 1997 Russia and Nato signed a document in which they said: (see photo)

Putin doesn't appear to even have the support of his many of his own people. This act of war is a Putin greviance, not a Russian one.