on February 24th, 2022, russia started a brutal full-scale invasion of the peaceful land and nation of Ukraine. around 8 million Ukrainians lost their home, around 8.2 million more had to outright leave their country. thousands of peaceful civilians were and are being raped, abused, tortured, and killed. every hour russia is bombing Ukrainian cities, every hour people are losing their homes, friends and loved ones.
some reliable news sources on Instagram are @saintjavelin, @ukrainciaga.international, @ukraine.ua, @ukraine, @united24.media, @withukraine, @kyivindependent_official. don't trust russian media - all they bring is lies, destruction, and death.
another reliable source of information and reflections is Timothy Snyder - American historian, specialising in the history of Central and Eastern Europe, Soviet Union and the Holocaust. his course at Yale University, 'The Making of Modern Ukraine', available on Youtube and most podcast platforms, is a very good and well-communicated starting point. as well as his texts on Substack.
discover Ukrainian artists and culture - a lot of them would be on the podium among the greatest if russians hadn't killed or oppressed most of them.
some of my favourite discoveries:
Oleksandr Bohomazov (1880-1930)
Electrician. 1915
Lumberjack. 1913
The Head. 1914
A Bridge. 1908
Sinny Market, Kyiv
Tram. 1914
Abstract Composition.
Kreshchatik. 1914
White Night. Finland. 1911
pianist Alexander Brailowsky (1896-1976):
Ukrainian classical music by Mykola Lysenko (1842-1912), Viktor Kosenko (1896-1938), Myroslav Skoryk (1938-2020), Boris Lyatoshynsky (1895-1968), Valentin Silvestrov (*1937), among others
Ukrainian dance music from the 70s-90s:
support Ukraine, and help end this insanity:
UNITED24 - official website of the Ukrainian Government
Blue-Yellow - Lithuanian fundraiser, supporting Ukraine since 2014
1K Fund - Lithuanian fundraiser, supporting Ukraine since 2022
Come Back Alive - Ukrainian fundraiser, operating since 2014
Saint Javelin - Canada-based fundraiser, support through cool merch (T-shirts, stickers, accessories made in Ukraine from recycled artillery shells), all profits go to supporting UA
Blue-Yellow - Lithuanian fundraiser, supporting Ukraine since 2014
1K Fund - Lithuanian fundraiser, supporting Ukraine since 2022
Come Back Alive - Ukrainian fundraiser, operating since 2014
Saint Javelin - Canada-based fundraiser, support through cool merch (T-shirts, stickers, accessories made in Ukraine from recycled artillery shells), all profits go to supporting UA
stop supporting russian businesses (products, stocks, etc.), stop buying from companies still operating in russia - their money fuel the war machine via paid taxes. use the app PushToLeave for doing a quick background check and finding brands that are clean from Ukrainian blood.
more ways to support - https://supportukrainenow.org/
every little bit counts.
slava Ukraini, heroyam slava.
glory to Ukraine, glory to the heroes.
glory to Ukraine, glory to the heroes.