A million candles burning
Feb. 24th, 2024 09:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dolorosa_12It's another grim, bitter, sobering anniversary: two years since the start of Russia's fullscale invasion of Ukraine (and just over ten years since Russia's annexation of Crimea and the start of the smaller-scale war in the eastern regions of the country). As I said this time last year, the invasion itself woke me up and burnt away everything that was unimportant, leaving me with a kind of searing focus and clarity, while the response of the Ukrainian people, government and military left me feeling humbled admiration. For me, this war (and its potential outcomes) is the clearest moral question: should a democratic country be allowed to chart its own political and diplomatic path and choose its own destiny, or should a violent, nuclear-armed, neighbouring dictatorship be allowed to destroy it and redraw internationally recognised borders by force?
The fact that Ukraine has been able to resist for so long up to now is down to three factors: its government remained in the country and continued (despite wartime conditions) doing normal government things like collecting and spending taxes, its population volunteered (or at least, for the most part, when their turn came, accepted conscription) to fight as part of a conventional military under civilian government control, and (despite foot-dragging and problems) an international coalition of allied countries provided Ukraine with military, financial, diplomatic and humanitarian support. (The military aid, in particular, is crucial — I've seen discourse floating around the internet which compares civilian casualty rates in this and other wars, and feel the need to point out that the disparity is not due to Ukraine facing a less ruthless, less cruelly indiscriminate adversary, but rather that the Ukrainian military has to a certain extent been given the means to hold their enemy off and shoot missiles out of the sky over civilian areas away from the frontline.)
Unfortunately, after two years, things are much more tense and uncertain than they were this time last year. The attention of citizens in countries supporting Ukraine wavers, and most worrying of all, support from the US is hostage to the toxic politics of that country, with the worst of the Trumpist Republicans stalling and blocking a large aid package for several months now — with terrible, tangible consequences.
I don't set much store by social media 'awareness raising,' which is why I don't post constantly about Ukraine — I strongly believe it is better to focus on concrete actions which contribute to tangible outcomes. That is why (despite spending about 60-80 per cent of my mental capacity thinking about Ukraine at every waking moment), I don't bombard you all with a constant stream of updates, documented evidence of atrocities, and so on. At this point, you're either aware of such things, or you never will be, and I personally find the effect of constant social media 'awareness raising' to be counterproductive — it produces a deadening sense of outraged, despairing futility. In my opinion, posts whose focus is on concrete action are a better approach (on this and on other issues as well).
For this reason, I will end this post with some suggestions of concrete action you might take if, like me, you feel this is something worth continuing to take seriously.
The first, and best thing you can do if you live in a democratic country is contact your elected representatives regularly, reminding them that your country and government's material support for Ukraine is an important issue for you. Tell them you expect them to work to continue to provide military, financial, diplomatic and humanitarian aid, and continue applying sanctions to Russia (and be vigilant about sanctions loopholes offered by third countries). If you are in the US, tell the you expect them to work to unblock the stalemate over the current aid package in the House of Representatives, if you are in Europe tell them you expect them to step up in the wake of the infighting and stalemate in the US.
There are protests and vigils happening all over the world today. Research if there is a local rally you can attend, to make the ongoing war visible and remind your fellow citizens that its outcome is important to you and your country.
Be thoughtful in your consumption and above all your sharing of information and commentary, especially if you have no time to research its veracity or source. If I had one wish for 2024, it would be for people to stop, investigate the broader output background of the people whose pithy posts or emotionally affecting Instagram videos they're poised to share, and only share said material once they're convinced that the person's broader outlook beyond the content of that individual post is one they're comfortable endorsing. (And if people don't have time to investigate such things, they should refrain from sharing such posts.) Be particularly cautious about treating as authorities non-Ukrainians calling for a 'ceasefire' or 'negotiated settlement' in this war. Ukrainians (both on a government and individual level) have been fairly unanimous in stating they do not want such things right now, as it would mean accepting the occupation and annexation of 20 per cent of their country, condemning the inhabitants of those occupied regions to permanent repression (every area that has been liberated from occupation has revealed documented evidence of human rights abuses, war crimes, kidnappings of children, detention and mass graves of civilians), and allowing Russia to freeze the conflict, rebuild its military capabilitaries, and resume the war in several years' time from a position of strength. Any non-Ukrainian person calling for a 'ceasefire' in this war is actually calling for all of the above injustices, and in my opinion should not be taken seriously nor have their voice amplified on any topic.
Finally, if you are financially able, there are a number of organisations and individuals to which/whom I regularly donate — these are the ones I know are viewed as most effective and trustworthy by Ukrainians. I never encourage anyone to blindly donate money, and strongly advise everyone to thorouhgly research an organisation before doing so. I donate monthly to a rotation of the following:
Come Back Alive (provides defensive and logistical equipment — protective gear, vehicles, communications and electronic equipment, etc — to the Ukrainian military, as well as supporting rehabilitation of injured military)
United24 (official Ukrainian government fundraising platform; you can contribute to specific campaigns, or direct your funds more generally towards humanitarian, military or rebuilding aid)
Serhiy Prytula Foundation (specific campaigns for military aid, for example drones, air defence, repairing damaged military vehicles, etc)
Legacy of War Foundation (works collaboratively with civilians in conflict zones to help with both urgent daily needs, and rebuilding efforts; its work is not limited to Ukraine)
Razom for Ukraine (works collaboratively with local Ukrainian organisations on specific projects such as healthcare, education, therapy for internally displaced people, etc)
World Central Kitchen (works with local people in disaster and conflict zones to provide food for those in need; its work is not limited to Ukraine)
I also subscribe to the Kyiv Independent with monthly Patreon donations, because I believe credible, English-language journalism from Ukrainians who understand and can communicate the context of the news in their country is really important.
I don't ask or expect everyone to view Ukraine as I do, but I ask you to take a moment to consider which causes are important to you, and to undertake concrete action which will contribute to tangible outcomes for such causes. We cannot create change or end every injustice alone as individuals, but with thoughtful work, we can push back against the tide. That, I believe, is the 'rent' we pay for having the unearned good fortune of living in the (admittedly flawed) democracies to which Ukraine is fighting to join.
The fact that Ukraine has been able to resist for so long up to now is down to three factors: its government remained in the country and continued (despite wartime conditions) doing normal government things like collecting and spending taxes, its population volunteered (or at least, for the most part, when their turn came, accepted conscription) to fight as part of a conventional military under civilian government control, and (despite foot-dragging and problems) an international coalition of allied countries provided Ukraine with military, financial, diplomatic and humanitarian support. (The military aid, in particular, is crucial — I've seen discourse floating around the internet which compares civilian casualty rates in this and other wars, and feel the need to point out that the disparity is not due to Ukraine facing a less ruthless, less cruelly indiscriminate adversary, but rather that the Ukrainian military has to a certain extent been given the means to hold their enemy off and shoot missiles out of the sky over civilian areas away from the frontline.)
Unfortunately, after two years, things are much more tense and uncertain than they were this time last year. The attention of citizens in countries supporting Ukraine wavers, and most worrying of all, support from the US is hostage to the toxic politics of that country, with the worst of the Trumpist Republicans stalling and blocking a large aid package for several months now — with terrible, tangible consequences.
I don't set much store by social media 'awareness raising,' which is why I don't post constantly about Ukraine — I strongly believe it is better to focus on concrete actions which contribute to tangible outcomes. That is why (despite spending about 60-80 per cent of my mental capacity thinking about Ukraine at every waking moment), I don't bombard you all with a constant stream of updates, documented evidence of atrocities, and so on. At this point, you're either aware of such things, or you never will be, and I personally find the effect of constant social media 'awareness raising' to be counterproductive — it produces a deadening sense of outraged, despairing futility. In my opinion, posts whose focus is on concrete action are a better approach (on this and on other issues as well).
For this reason, I will end this post with some suggestions of concrete action you might take if, like me, you feel this is something worth continuing to take seriously.
The first, and best thing you can do if you live in a democratic country is contact your elected representatives regularly, reminding them that your country and government's material support for Ukraine is an important issue for you. Tell them you expect them to work to continue to provide military, financial, diplomatic and humanitarian aid, and continue applying sanctions to Russia (and be vigilant about sanctions loopholes offered by third countries). If you are in the US, tell the you expect them to work to unblock the stalemate over the current aid package in the House of Representatives, if you are in Europe tell them you expect them to step up in the wake of the infighting and stalemate in the US.
There are protests and vigils happening all over the world today. Research if there is a local rally you can attend, to make the ongoing war visible and remind your fellow citizens that its outcome is important to you and your country.
Be thoughtful in your consumption and above all your sharing of information and commentary, especially if you have no time to research its veracity or source. If I had one wish for 2024, it would be for people to stop, investigate the broader output background of the people whose pithy posts or emotionally affecting Instagram videos they're poised to share, and only share said material once they're convinced that the person's broader outlook beyond the content of that individual post is one they're comfortable endorsing. (And if people don't have time to investigate such things, they should refrain from sharing such posts.) Be particularly cautious about treating as authorities non-Ukrainians calling for a 'ceasefire' or 'negotiated settlement' in this war. Ukrainians (both on a government and individual level) have been fairly unanimous in stating they do not want such things right now, as it would mean accepting the occupation and annexation of 20 per cent of their country, condemning the inhabitants of those occupied regions to permanent repression (every area that has been liberated from occupation has revealed documented evidence of human rights abuses, war crimes, kidnappings of children, detention and mass graves of civilians), and allowing Russia to freeze the conflict, rebuild its military capabilitaries, and resume the war in several years' time from a position of strength. Any non-Ukrainian person calling for a 'ceasefire' in this war is actually calling for all of the above injustices, and in my opinion should not be taken seriously nor have their voice amplified on any topic.
Finally, if you are financially able, there are a number of organisations and individuals to which/whom I regularly donate — these are the ones I know are viewed as most effective and trustworthy by Ukrainians. I never encourage anyone to blindly donate money, and strongly advise everyone to thorouhgly research an organisation before doing so. I donate monthly to a rotation of the following:
Come Back Alive (provides defensive and logistical equipment — protective gear, vehicles, communications and electronic equipment, etc — to the Ukrainian military, as well as supporting rehabilitation of injured military)
United24 (official Ukrainian government fundraising platform; you can contribute to specific campaigns, or direct your funds more generally towards humanitarian, military or rebuilding aid)
Serhiy Prytula Foundation (specific campaigns for military aid, for example drones, air defence, repairing damaged military vehicles, etc)
Legacy of War Foundation (works collaboratively with civilians in conflict zones to help with both urgent daily needs, and rebuilding efforts; its work is not limited to Ukraine)
Razom for Ukraine (works collaboratively with local Ukrainian organisations on specific projects such as healthcare, education, therapy for internally displaced people, etc)
World Central Kitchen (works with local people in disaster and conflict zones to provide food for those in need; its work is not limited to Ukraine)
I also subscribe to the Kyiv Independent with monthly Patreon donations, because I believe credible, English-language journalism from Ukrainians who understand and can communicate the context of the news in their country is really important.
I don't ask or expect everyone to view Ukraine as I do, but I ask you to take a moment to consider which causes are important to you, and to undertake concrete action which will contribute to tangible outcomes for such causes. We cannot create change or end every injustice alone as individuals, but with thoughtful work, we can push back against the tide. That, I believe, is the 'rent' we pay for having the unearned good fortune of living in the (admittedly flawed) democracies to which Ukraine is fighting to join.