From NEXTA Live telegram. Oligarch Mikhail Fridman, born in Lviv, calls the war in Ukraine a tragedy and calls for an end to the bloodshed. Net worth $13 billion.
Russian column marked with “V” filmed in Makariv 30km west of Kyiv. From реальная Украина telegram.
“Russia — Fuck off”
Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovohrad oblast, Ukraine
Also реальная Украина telegram.
Air attack incoming in Chernihiv. All told to take cover. Do not go outside.
Huge line for ATM in Moscow suburb mall today. From Baza telegram. The Russian ruble will be in free fall when markets open tomorrow.
An appeal to Belarusian mothers. “Don’t let them take your sons to die in Ukraine” t.me/kievreal1/6730
Don’t want to share location but just saw orderly distribution of weapons to citizens for self defense in a mid sized Ukrainian city. The men in civilian clothes are all lined up by a church receiving guns handed out by Ukrainian army.
Just heard an audio recording (cannot verify its authenticity) of a Russian commander cursing out a famous Chechen and Dagestani motorcycle brigade who fought in Crimea and now apparently are not keen on dying in Ukraine. Every other word is блядь. t.me/mariupol/3242
My TikTok For You page is just video after video of Ukrainian children all bundled up in winter jackets and hats in cellars huddled next to jars of jam and pickles. The videos are endless. There are millions of people just waiting underground for this madness above ground to end.
An angry message in Russian by Wladimir Klitschko to Russians and Belarusians: stay home and stop firing rockets on a brotherly nation. You guys are great brothers he says, killing us, shooting at us. Stay home. Don’t go to work. Don’t fund the war. t.me/KyivCityOffici…
I am extremely tired of seven days a week “explaining” Austria, a country which is also not my homeland, to Ukrainians. The gist of it is: no one cares what your circumstances are and don’t expect any exceptions or special treatment. It’s a hard pill to swallow.
This has led to 48 hours of debates. I will blog about it soon. In the meantime, more end of school year drama (not giving Ukrainian kids passing grades), and a phone call tonight which knocked the wind out of me.
As many of you know, Mama Olya had a stroke in early April and has been in hospital in Vienna ever since. I have been visiting nearly daily. This takes a huge emotional toll. Respect to all those who work in medicine; I could never ever do it.
Ukrainian moms are desperately asking me if Austria ever plans to move them from Grundversorgung to Mindestsicherung. I tell them honestly, I don’t think so. They tell me it is impossible to survive. With a small kid can’t work. I say I know and I am sorry. Another country?
I cannot lie and tell them I expect any changes on the political level because I don’t. Federal and 9 states are already doing only the absolute bare minimum. I hear no discussions in media about improving Grundversorgung conditions or moving them out of it.
If any journalists would like to do a deep dive on the payments and handcuffs I know volunteers who know the numbers inside and out. It is complicated and very opaque, and differs by Bundesland. I tell the Ukrainians the following.
Just realized the last time I took a long distance bus I was a teenager. I feel wholly unprepared. I do not see the promised WC nor free wifi (eeek). Everyone seems to have done this before. The bus is completely full: women, kids, pensioners. Two drivers. €190 round trip 🧵
I found the toilet AND actually more importantly, the plug for the charger. Hallelujah! Did you all know Hofer is Aldi in Hungary? We just passed a huge distribution center. I am amazed by how quiet and considerate ALL the passengers are. Even the kids. It’s unbelievable.
I naively didn’t quite understand the bus actually makes all the stops. Budapest.
The infamous dorm in Vienna’s 11th district is closing for good. All residents must move out by this Friday night. A team of volunteers is organizing cars & people to help with the move: many residents are elderly and/or handicapped. They need volunteers & wheels. Pls DM.
I am so dumb. I naively assumed when @Stadt_Wien said all dorm residents would be assigned new housing in Wien by April 15, that would happen. Now I am hearing some residents will be sent TO THE ARRIVAL CENTER. Nightmare. Some may refuse to leave…could potentially get ugly.
This is an absolute shitshow. I should have known. It did not have to be like this if anyone cared. These are vulnerable Ukrainians who have been under extreme stress for months.
I asked the Ukrainians in my group about their success or lack thereof in finding legal paid work, and this was one of the replies. These energy bills are insane. They need guidance as renters…ugh.
A poll so far shows a mixed bag: some cannot work (caring for kids or handicapped relatives), some don’t look as working would render them homeless (social housing) and they cannot afford a deposit/rent, others no luck so far, still looking. Some want to finish A2 German first.
Some are working and no longer receiving benefits. One man in his 60s texts from the arrival center — he already has a job offer but no blue card bc no address bc no housing assignment yet. The labor market is not making the most of this opportunity. Bureaucracy is once again… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…