Dear friends Tiddlywikimates,
one month has passed since I suspended my peaceful project activity.
After eight years of the hybrid war launched by RF against Ukraine in 2014, on February 24, 2022, my country was subjected to an open large-scale armed invasion by RF. The achievements of modern civilization allow everyone to be a spectator of war atrocities committed by RF in real time. But this is not a Hollywood movie. The unjustified and bloody war brought Ukraine an unprecedented number of deaths, suffering and destruction. About 4 million people fled the country so far, 10 million fled their homes. Many cities were almost completely destroyed - Mariupol, Kharkiv, Volnovakha, Chernihiv, Irpin, Bucha, Vorzel, Makariv and others. There is no safe place in the country anymore - missile strikes are gradually day by day destroying the whole country.
From the very first day, my son and I decided to serve in the Territorial Defense Forces (TDF). As early as February 26, we were given weapon and assigned to a local TDF unit:
- Ukraine’s Civilians Take Up Arms Against Russia’s Invasion | NYT, February 26, 2022
- A Ukrainian Family Prepares for War in Kyiv | NYT News, March 2, 2022
Hlib (on the right) and Olegh Bondarenko, March 2022
This month, Ukrainians have once again demonstrated their determination to protect their choice to be free people. In this way we protect not just ourselves but also common European or, more widely, Western civilization values. RF has failed to break Ukraine in a couple of days as they planned. As a result of our perseverance, the war drags on and turns into a war of depletion, a war of resources. Now it is clear, this war will be won by those who can withstand this grueling competition of resources. I believe that Ukraine will be the winner. But this will happen with the strong long-term support of our friends and partners.
Before February 24 among various things I do, I am a member of the Council and a Deputy Head of the National Ecological Center of Ukraine (NECU, https://necu.org.ua). For more than thirty years, NECU has proven that it has been and remains a reliable partner in many international and national environmental projects. We have a network of more than 20 branches in different parts of Ukraine.
The majority of NECU’s members stayed in the country. Though, today, we see highest NECU’s priority to help our TDF and compatriots locally in difficult wartime conditions. For this, we see NECU as a platform to aggregate aid around the world and deliver it locally where needed.
That is why, we appeal to individuals and organizations all over the world to provide our people and our country with affordable financial or other kind of assistance.
To do this, our bank details are given on the title page of our organization (https://necu.org.ua)
From our part we make sure to provide our sponsors with a comprehensive cost report in line with best international practice.
Some other day I plan returning to my peaceful activities together with my friends and partners. However, for this to come true, Ukraine should withstand and win at first.
I would be grateful for consideration of this call whatever a decision is made.
Look forward to hearing from you. Slava Ukraini!
Olegh Bondarenko, DSc,
Head of Project Office, Deputy Head of Council,
National Ecological Centre of Ukraine
and at the same time a combatant of the Armed
Forces of Ukraine (2015-2016) and the Territorial
Defense Forces of Kyiv (2022).
https://protw.github.io/oleghbond/