Thread by @olgatokariuk

'I am feeling anger and profound disgust when I hear some Westerners suggest that Ukraine should just give up part of its territory to Russia': a Ukrainian soldier, who holds a PhD in history and used to work in a museum before the war, shared his thoughts facebook.com/10000398421543…

Please read it with the translation. It's a really powerful and striking personal account. 'I have never wanted to be a military man. But now I am one because there's war in my country. As are thousands of other Ukrainian professionals'

'They are killed by artillery and Tochka-U, cluster and phosphorus munitions. Some of them have already died. But they continue to fight. Because Ukraine is behind them. Because if they lay down their arms, their parents will be killed, wives and daughters raped, homes destroyed'

'And when politicians from France, Italy, Germany offer us to lay down our arms, agree to lose territories, provide Russia with some security guarantees (absurd!!! Russia does not need any security guarantees, its neighbors need guarantees), I feel anger and deep disgust'

'I loathe these insignificant people who, because of their prejudice or Putin's dirty money, are ready to doom my country to takeover, to a slow and painful death. Disgust and anger at those who have great opportunities to help overcome the crisis, but instead...

...seek, consciously or unconsciously, to deepen it. Because even the complete capitulation of Ukraine will not solve the problem of global security. On the contrary, it will push Russia into new conquests.'

'We do not need offers to surrender. If you are not ready to fight with us against a rabid enemy, then help us with weapons, money, sanctions. We need a lot to defeat Russia and thus drastically reduce the global crisis. But we have the main thing - motivation'

'We have historians ready to sleep five people in two beds and knead the mud for weeks, accountants ready to eat porridge with stew for months, students who spend their best years risking death. And they will not go anywhere - unless they are all killed.
With your consent.'