Ask HN: Friend has mom in Kharkiv – contact / path to help escort out?
DM me / @DotDotJames on Twitter
13 comments
In regards to local evacuation it's unlikely that anybody outside of Kharkiv area will be able to help. If she manages to get through the border to any neighbouring western country she will be taken care of. There is no need to set anything up in advance in current chaotic situation as she would be potentially blocking accommodation for multiple other people.
I'm hosting 6 refugees from Ukraine in Gdansk, northern Poland and the situation is that help is organized on social media and volunteers find accommodation for refugees within minutes, up to several hours after a request is raised. During that time they will have a warm place to stay and food to eat, there are absolutely no people left without help. Just an hour ago I've seen an offer from a person able to provide roof for 500(!) people. It is likely that the situation is already more problematic closer to Ukrainian border, so flexibility to travel further west (including Germany, which started organizing similar help recently) is going to help. Transport from the UKR-POL border is also a non-issue - Ukrainians can use trains for free, there are also private buses and cars picking up groups of people and moving them to various destinations. For free.
To Ukrainians in need - just get through the border and we'll handle it for you from there.
I'm hosting 6 refugees from Ukraine in Gdansk, northern Poland and the situation is that help is organized on social media and volunteers find accommodation for refugees within minutes, up to several hours after a request is raised. During that time they will have a warm place to stay and food to eat, there are absolutely no people left without help. Just an hour ago I've seen an offer from a person able to provide roof for 500(!) people. It is likely that the situation is already more problematic closer to Ukrainian border, so flexibility to travel further west (including Germany, which started organizing similar help recently) is going to help. Transport from the UKR-POL border is also a non-issue - Ukrainians can use trains for free, there are also private buses and cars picking up groups of people and moving them to various destinations. For free.
To Ukrainians in need - just get through the border and we'll handle it for you from there.
helpful / thank you -- passed along to my contact
There is very little they can do, I am afraid to say. My mother-in-law is currently in Chernigov (Northern Ukraine). I think the situation is similar in Kharkiv. The city is surrounded, bridges and roads are ruined, they are being bombed all over. We are waiting on legitimate 'green corridors' to be established before people can get out. Russians have continued shelling in Mariupol even after agreeing to let civilians out in a cease-fire. At this point they are no better than terrorists.
Russia leaves security corridors open. Just as Russia accepts refugees, so do other countries. Russia is not fighting people, Russia is destroying the threat - military facilities.
They are also either not respecting the agreement ([1]), or pretty much forcing people to go to Russia/Belarus by only allowing corridors in that direction ([2]).
Most importantly - Russia is NOT only targeting military facilities. They also:
- shelled a church ([3])
- targeted residential buildings in Kharkiv and many other places ([4], [5])
- are shooting at civilians ([6])
The Russian invasion on Ukraine has nothing to do with removing any threats to any one. The Russian government and anyone supporting it IS the threat to democracy, freedom and human rights.
- [1] - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/07/russia-humanit...
- [2] https://gvwire.com/2022/03/07/live-ukraine-updates-safe-corr...
- [3] https://twitter.com/AS7404542949/status/1500840315330174977
- [4] https://www.indiatoday.in/world/russia-ukraine-war/video/rus...
- [5] https://www.euronews.com/2022/03/02/russian-bomb-hit-a-resid...
- [6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBkxV8Sch5U
Most importantly - Russia is NOT only targeting military facilities. They also:
- shelled a church ([3])
- targeted residential buildings in Kharkiv and many other places ([4], [5])
- are shooting at civilians ([6])
The Russian invasion on Ukraine has nothing to do with removing any threats to any one. The Russian government and anyone supporting it IS the threat to democracy, freedom and human rights.
- [1] - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/07/russia-humanit...
- [2] https://gvwire.com/2022/03/07/live-ukraine-updates-safe-corr...
- [3] https://twitter.com/AS7404542949/status/1500840315330174977
- [4] https://www.indiatoday.in/world/russia-ukraine-war/video/rus...
- [5] https://www.euronews.com/2022/03/02/russian-bomb-hit-a-resid...
- [6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBkxV8Sch5U
Twitter? Are you serious? There's massive psy ops going on. Guardian and mainstream western media is shit.
From what I've seen only Al Jazeera tries to be impartial (telling both sides if the story, and not forgetting "we were unable to independently verify").
> or pretty much forcing people to go to Russia/Belarus by only allowing corridors in that direction ([2]).
Theres another possibility. After 3 days of mutually agreed corridors not being respected (by ukr) Russians offered the alternative route they can guarantee. Obviously it's much easier for them to create a corridor to the border rather than further inside ukraine.
From what I've seen only Al Jazeera tries to be impartial (telling both sides if the story, and not forgetting "we were unable to independently verify").
> or pretty much forcing people to go to Russia/Belarus by only allowing corridors in that direction ([2]).
Theres another possibility. After 3 days of mutually agreed corridors not being respected (by ukr) Russians offered the alternative route they can guarantee. Obviously it's much easier for them to create a corridor to the border rather than further inside ukraine.
Twitter is just any other link - there are plenty, and I provided multiple. There are also many Telegram (which is widely used in Ukraine) groups where you can get videos and information from the first hand - feel free to google for them since it seems like you won't trust what I share.
If you are talking about corridors not being respected by Ukraine, then it's time to provide some source to support what you are saying.
If you believe in good will and justified behavior from Russian side, then I believe you really should make an effort to understand what is happening better.
If you are talking about corridors not being respected by Ukraine, then it's time to provide some source to support what you are saying.
If you believe in good will and justified behavior from Russian side, then I believe you really should make an effort to understand what is happening better.
I know about telegram and groups there very well, there are also groups calling out the fakes. It's all noise and propaganda (from both sides). Its nearly impossible to know what's true and what is fake.
https://www.bbc.com/news/60528276
> If you are talking about corridors not being respected by Ukraine, then it's time to provide some source to support what you are saying.
That's what the Russians are literally saying. Al Jazeera at least reports both sides' statements
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/7/ukraine-blasts-russi...
https://www.bbc.com/news/60528276
> If you are talking about corridors not being respected by Ukraine, then it's time to provide some source to support what you are saying.
That's what the Russians are literally saying. Al Jazeera at least reports both sides' statements
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/7/ukraine-blasts-russi...
None of the fakes mentioned in your BBC link debunks anything I said. Additionally, isn't that the "western media"?
Moreover, Al Jazeera link you provided doesn't really speak to Ukraine "blocking" anything - they called Russia's move immoral, which is totally fair. It is immortal to force people to choose between running to "safety" - their invaders - or waiting for death in the war zone.
The rest of the article is just proving everything I said above, i.e.:
> “I am absolutely shocked by what we have seen … this is what the power of Russian bombing can do to civilian areas,” Stratford said from the scene, where an enormous Russian shell exploded several days ago.
Moreover, Al Jazeera link you provided doesn't really speak to Ukraine "blocking" anything - they called Russia's move immoral, which is totally fair. It is immortal to force people to choose between running to "safety" - their invaders - or waiting for death in the war zone.
The rest of the article is just proving everything I said above, i.e.:
> “I am absolutely shocked by what we have seen … this is what the power of Russian bombing can do to civilian areas,” Stratford said from the scene, where an enormous Russian shell exploded several days ago.
Just fuck off. No one buys that nonsense. My wife and I are following the situation minutely, almost 24/7. There is NO WAY my mother-in-law can leave Chernigov right now. There are no fucking corridors open. They are bombing residential buildings all over Ukraine you fucking CUNT. Stop spreading misinformation.
yes, just saw news on safe corridors, hopefully that will help some of the cities