In your holiday giving this season, please remember our Ukrainian friends half a world away who will be celebrating the holidays in a war-torn country. The war has left millions of Ukrainians displaced, homeless, injured, and without electricity and adequate access to food, water, and shelter. The former remnants of Ukraine have been destroyed, leaving the country and its cities in an unrecognizable state.
According to the Council of Europe, as of October 13, 2022, over 110,000 individual homes and 12,000 apartment complexes have been destroyed or damaged since the invasion in February. The United Nations cited the official number of civilian deaths from the Russian invasion of Ukraine has reached close to 6,900 and that the number of civilians injured has surpassed 10,000. According to reports in September, 6.5 million people have apparently been forced to leave the country, and a further 7.6 million have been forced to escape into Poland, Moldova, and other nearby European nations. Women and children make up the majority of individuals who have fled.
Beginning on October 10, 2022, Russia started its most significant attacks on Ukraine in months, hitting multiple civilian districts during rush hour as well as military and energy sites. Strikes on the capital were among the fourteen areas targeted by the attacks. The severe damage to Ukraine's electrical infrastructure is growing more serious as winter approaches. Due to the Russian strikes on infrastructure, Kyiv region's 4.5 million energy consumers are currently facing stabilizing blackouts. In the event that a Russian strike caused a complete blackout, the New York Times reported that Kyiv planned to evacuate its 3 million residents.
Additionally, public infrastructure has been ruined, leaving millions of people without appropriate access to water, heat, and power or unable to travel to stores to purchase essentials due to inaccessible roads and bridges. Families are finding shelter in damaged structures that are unprepared for abrupt changes in temperature or heavy snowfall as the harsh winter months in Ukraine draw near. The nation's healthcare system is disintegrating as hospitals have started to run out of medication and have their energy cut off. Sadly, maternity and children's hospitals, as well as other medical facilities, have been devastated. The already damaged infrastructure in Ukraine will be destroyed by more bloodshed. The nation's economy has experienced a sharp fall, and its health system is weak due to COVID-19. Public services may not function due to severe food and fuel shortages.
As war in Ukraine continues, it may appear that Americans are less interested or concerned about it. However, Ukraine and its courageous citizens still need our help.
You can help today by joining the CWBA in its mission to help Ukraine by donating to these charities:
Ukrainans of Colorado: raising funds for medical supplies and transport costs from USA to bordering countries with Ukraine
Project Kesher: support evacuation of women and girls in Eastern Ukraine
Razom for Ukraine: emergency response is providing medical supplies and amplifying the voices of Ukrainians
Donations to Sumy, Ukraine: city near Kharkiv destroyed in mid-March
Ukraine United DAO: Donate directly for direct humanitarian distributions in cryptocurrency
Unchain Fund: charity project created by blockchain activists
Voices of Children: helping children affected by war since 2015
Women for Women International: donations to Ukrainian women through their Conflict Response Fund
Welcome.US: Join the national effort to welcome Ukrainians fleeing their homeland by sponsoring them for coming to the United States to build their new lives.
About the CWBA Ukraine Sub-Committee
The Colorado Women’s Bar Association Ukraine Sub-Committee developed an initiative called Immigration Video Bytes to provide information regarding the immigration processes available to those affected by Russia’s war on Ukraine who seek to come to or remain in the United States. Watch the short videos that provide quick answers to various general immigration questions https://www.cwba.org/Ukranian_videobytes.
For any questions, please email CWBAUkraine@gmail.com.
Committee members include:
Anya Lear of Lear Immigration Law
Yev Muchnik of Launch Legal
Marianna Kosharovsky of ALIGHT (Alliance to Lead Impact in Global Human Trafficking)
Milana Yushkevich of Launch Legal