Rick Mills '75 is helping Ukraine and so can you

It was exhilarating, exhausting and emotionally draining.  We spent time in both Lviv and Kyiv and I was surprised to find the cities to be vibrant places full of energetic, ambitious young people who are trying to get on with their lives.  

 

On the surface, it does not feel like a country at war.  Although we had all downloaded the Air Alert App, it never sounded during our time in the country (it did, however, wake me with a blast of urgency the day after I returned to London, a sobering reminder that our new Ukrainian friends cannot take safety and security for granted the way we can). There are visible signs of conflict everywhere, however - from the sandbags, trenches and sentries protecting government buildings and other strategic assets to the burned-out Russian tanks and personnel carriers positioned by the Ukrainians in front of the beautiful gold-domed churches and the 50,000 tiny blue and yellow flags planted at Independence Square, each one a reminder of a fallen warrior (we were told that there are no soldiers in Ukraine, only warriors!)

         

But it is when you talk to the local people that the impact of the war really hits home.  As one can imagine, absolutely everyone has a story.  Families have been disrupted, as women and children fled the country while men stayed behind, preparing to fight when called upon.  Busloads of those women now clog the border crossings as they return for visits with their loved ones.  Most refugees, however, are still not ready to return to their homes permanently. 

 

Many people have seen their work lives transformed as their business and technical skills are called upon in support of the war effort.  Officials that we met at the Ministry of Health have now completely revised their priorities and now are focused on battlefield extraction and blood transfusion instead of reducing the levels of diabetes and developing better systems for early detection of cancer.  Longer term, they are thinking about rehabilitation of amputee soldiers and PTSD treatment for both soldiers and children who have borne witness to front-line horrors.  And of course, there are those who have been directly affected by the war, with an estimated 50,000 dead and at least the same number of amputees.  We spoke to one young man in a hospital bed, both legs heavily bandaged after stepping on a land mine.  He was very matter-of-fact when explaining that the Russians have been able to lay down 500m wide minefields, while the Ukrainians only have the technology to clear 100m spans.  

 

Without exception, every person we spoke with was effusive in their thanks for the international support we represent, and without which their resistance would be all that more difficult.  “Please come back and celebrate with us after the victory” was the universal refrain.  They are increasingly resigned, however, to the belief that victory may be a long time coming.  The counter-offensive has not achieved its objectives as rapidly as had been originally hoped, partly because the Russians had plenty of time to build their defenses.  Having started this unprovoked war,  Russia now has existential interests of its own to protect. For instance,  long-standing strategic priorities of maintaining a buffer zone between Western Europe and Moscow and access to a warm-water port.  Even setting aside Putin’s own political calculations, they are not about to roll over and capitulate.  Not surprisingly, therefore, there is increased concern amongst Ukrainians about the strength and durability of Western support.  Many people that we spoke with worried openly about “Ukraine fatigue” – a taste of which was on display in the weekend jockeying over a U.S. shutdown.  

 

My view, for what it is worth:  this is obviously a war for Ukrainian nationhood.  But it is also a battle for the preservation of Western values, being fought on our behalf on Ukrainian soil by Ukrainian warriors.  They cannot win without Western support.  If they lose, Russia will not cease their advance.  The next phase of the conflict will inevitably involve European soldiers, fighting to defend European soil.  It is therefore incumbent upon us to continue to provide support for as long as it takes.

 

My final observation:  having spent considerable time in Russia in the past, I was struck by the fact that Ukraine (at least the parts that I visited on this trip) has a European rather than a Russian outlook, both in business and cultural terms.  This is a country that could comfortably take its place at the table of European nations.  And it is an ally that Europe should want to embrace, as it has three critical assets that are in short supply in the rest of Europe - a young, vibrant, educated workforce; bucketloads of natural resources; and the best-trained and battle-hardened army in Europe. They need Europe in the short term; in the long term, Europe needs Ukraine.

  

More help is needed.  Click the links below to donate.  Your gift will be put to work directly in partnership with the Ministry of Health, and in support of the armed forces and civilian personnel who are directly affected by the conflict.  

 

UK - https://gofund.me/fd0794bd

US - https://gofund.me/cd378cf5

Canada - https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/medical-life-lines-ukraine/

If you would like to get more directly involved, MLLU is always looking for drivers.  At the moment, there is a convoy of ambulances leaving London every month.  If you are interested in experiencing Ukraine firsthand, email alumni@neuchatel.org and they will be pleased to put you in touch with me.