Oleksandr (Sasha) Kondrashov

On April 7, 1994, Rwanda Genocide moved into the active phase. During the period of around 100 days, the most widely accepted scholarly estimates are approximately 500,000 to 662,000 Tutsi deaths. April 7, 2022, marks day 43 of the new Putin’s regime Genocide of the people living in Ukraine.

This week the world learnt more about Bucha, Hostomel, Irpin and the crimes against humanity Putin’s regime’s military forces carried out in Ukraine. The cities of Chernihiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv and many others are constantly being shelled, and Ukrainians are dying every day. However, the actual number of deaths will not be known for many years. Researchers are still trying to estimate the number of deaths during Holodomor in 1932-1933 of Stalin’s Genocide toward the People of Ukraine. The estimate, for now, is around 3.5 to 5 million.

How many people in Ukraine need to die in 2022 until the global community recognizes Genocide and stops Putin’s war machine? Living outside of Ukraine and observing how Global Communities react to events in Ukraine is traumatic in itself. It is hard to imagine what people inside Ukraine are going through when an indifferent response meets their plea for help. Some days I feel helpless and hopeless, seeing people dying without dignity, being tortured, kidnapped, raped, abused, and disappearing in high numbers. Fortunately, after having healing conversations with family and friends, I find new energy and recognize that being helpless and hopeless is not a way to move forward. So I keep sharing knowledge, creating new courses, and doing what I love doing in a peaceful time: teaching future generations and learning ways and values of practicing dignity, social justice and service to humanity.

During the war, each human being finds ways to survive and support their loved ones to stay with them. For some, it means fighting for their land, like Ukrainian Military Forces and everyone who joins them. For others, survival means finding safe space on this planet Earth. Many People of Ukraine are learning how to become asylum seekers, and Global communities are learning how to become welcoming hosts. Both are unknown roles for many, and conflicts are inevitable. During the search for asylum, it is essential to keep principles of humanity and dignity at the forefront for everyone, as asylum seekers experience varying degrees of trauma. Each traumatic experience is unique, and it is hard to know what emotional, mental, spiritual and physical response will occur when asylum seeker communicates with members of host communities.

I stay hopeful that the people of Ukraine, members of the Ukrainian Diaspora community and everyone who StandsWithUkraine will find ways to act with dignity in times when Z movement shows no humanity. Putin’s supporters want to show the world that Ukrainians are Neonazi and require their intervention to enforce “peace” in Ukraine. I know many people who do not believe any words coming from Putin’s regime’s media sources and hope those numbers will keep increasing. Everyone who #StandwithUkraine needs to find a way to influence the #IndifferentGroup, people who do not care what is going on in Ukraine and just want to live using the motto “Moja Khata Skraju-Nichoho Ne Znaju” (I live far away and know nothing). It is a very dangerous motto at the time of Genocide, but many choose indifference as a survival response and ignore pleas from the People of Ukraine for closing the skies, sending support to stop Putin’s regime. They need to see photos from Bucha, hear stories of survival and maybe one day they choose to believe the truth instead of listening to Putin’s lies.

I am thankful to everyone who, in the last 40+ days has shown solidarity with the People of Ukraine. Every act of solidarity counts, and each act supports the People of Ukraine fight to live independently in sovereign Ukraine. At this time enemy is also well identified, everyone who supports Putin’s Regime and promotes the “Z” Symbol are actual NeonaZi. They need to be stopped. Every country around the world needs to persecute everyone who supports “Z” movement. Free speech ends when hate speech starts. “Z” supporters are those who Stand With Putin. Many of them live in the current territory of the Russian Federation, but some are standing with Putin outside of Russian borders. They need to be held accountable for Genocide. Police officers, military forces and everyone who has degrees of power and influence worldwide need to stop the “Z” movement and show Putin that his regime is evil to this world. It brings war, inhumane tortures and death.

Can the global community accept a new challenge and eradicate the Z movement and stop spreading Putin’s ideas that kill the People of Ukraine. The people of Ukraine will not surrender; however when a Ukrainian human being is found dead, the global community has one less person who supports freedom, liberty, and sovereignty, and it gives more strength to those who #StandwithPutin. Every minute of global non-response means fewer land protectors are available in Ukraine, and the Earth is becoming more vulnerable. I often ask myself what Putin needs to do to remind global community that no one is safe? When evil forces and their supporters keep creating more Irpin’s, Bucha’ and Hostomel’s in Ukraine and in the future, it can happen everywhere where principles of humanity, social justice are compromised. Time to act now and stop Z movement and Putin’s regime’s Genocide. #StandwithUkraine