This what it’s like to shop for basic things like medical supplies. Very long lines. And no promises what you need will be there when it’s your turn. Wasn’t like this before the war.
Let’s how long it takes for me to get inside this story here in Kyiv and get what I need. One very simple but very inconvenient aspect of living in war: long lines and limited supplies.
Note: forgot my selfie stick.
Part 1: I was in and out pretty fast. Items in short supply: water, milk and bread. And people are soooo friendly to me.
End. This guy walked up to me and wanted to share a message with y’all.
So some supplies are hard to find, but it depends on where you go. We’re into day three of this war, so it’s too soon to talk about food and medical shortages. Things appear very much in control on the ground with the civilian population here in Kyiv.
ZERO chaos.
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I’m at a checkpoint outside of the city where a civilian group is checking all vehicles—including military—for saboteurs. There are reports of them shooting at checkpoints, keep these civilian military groups on edge.
Some of the professions of the men holding government-issued weapons at this checkpoint: shoe maker, museum director, language teacher.
Air raid sirens are going off. This is usually the time civilians are taking cover. Not these volunteer military units. They are staying put at this checkpoint in the pitch dark, at the ready, protecting Ukraine.
I am gathering thoughts on how to best report what's happening. But the first thing that comes to mind is self-reflection. The fear Ukrainians and I have about Russia are the very fears many around the world have felt of U.S. invasions.
The fear I have to pray and work through and the fears and tragedies Ukrainians must endure from Russia are the very traumas America has inflicted across the world. This is a horrible feeling and I never want anyone to experience what is happening here.
My job is to report, but it is also to reflect. I have devoted my life to challenging Russian imperialism, but I cannot help, in this moment, not to reflect on peoples around the world who have lived in fear because of my country's military.
For all of these people saying the West should agree to not allow Ukraine into NATO, I have a question: if Putin can force our hand on that, why would he stop there?
Even if Ukraine signed documents never to join NATO, that would not change his behavior.
You do realize that telling Ukraine that it should never join NATO is a slap in the face of 1/3 of the alliance and suggests that none of Eastern Europe should be in NATO or the EU.
You do realize that centering France and Germany's thinking (and financial interests) over Eastern Europeans is offensive and discriminatory, right? If Eastern Europe wasn't in NATO, Russia would be threatening to attack Germany (again).
1. Wednesday and Thursday, I'll host Spaces with grassroots orgs in Ukraine that Americans can support financially and other ways. Deets forthcoming.
2. By the end of the week, I'll have a spreadsheet of grassroots orgs.
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It is taking me time to verify that all orgs are legit and to organizer methods of donation payments that go *directly* to the organization. I WILL NOT TAKE A DIME in case anyone wants to play in my mentions.
Each week, I will host a grassroots org and hopefully link them with a U.S.-based org that can help them institutionally. This is taking a good amount of time, so work with me here. If you can DM me with good Ukrainian orgs to support, please do so.
Quick reaction: Reporting on Neo-Nazis in the Ukrainian military is overblown, reductive and a distraction. Keep in mind that American police and military forces are full of white nationalists, so we'd be disqualified from protecting ourselves if that were REALLY the issue here.
I'm really sick and tired of these bullshit stories discussing neo-nazis in the Ukrainian military. Yes, they are there, but is the military full of Nazis? Of course not. If you don't want to support Ukraine, just fuckin' say so and stop with these reaching-ass stories, please.
There is some genuine reporting on neo-nazi groups here, but the vast majority of it is ghettoizing Ukraine as a backwater nation unworthy of help. I'be run into Neo-nazies here who have threatened me, so I am not a fan. Also know these people don't represent Ukraine.