#43 Standing with Ukraine

On the social media use in times of war, poetry, and hope.

Feb 27, 2022

Unless you live under a rock, you know there is only one story everybody is talking about these days. I thought long and hard about whether there is something worth adding. Isn’t it enough information out there already?

I’m not one for public manifestations and performative activism. Yes, by all means, kudos to people who do much more than just reshare photos on their feeds and add “IStandWithUkraine” hashtags; people who are actually going to protest in their cities, people who organise or donate to groups and charities that support the over 60,000 Ukrainian refugees who have so far fled for neighbouring countries.

As a Romanian, I should emphasise that I am really proud to see on my social feeds how people have mobilised to help to the best of their ability. Not only food or clothing items; I even saw a Facebook group aiming to facilitate counselling and therapy in English and Ukrainian for children and adults coming to Romania. It’s reassuring and heart-warming to see people getting together and working around the clock to respond in times of crisis.

But this doesn’t mean it isn’t hard or overwhelming. And no, I’m not trying to play the victim as a way to justify my silence on the internet. I work in a newsroom, after all; I’m exposed to information – a LOT of information – every single day. Actually, if I’m totally honest, I crave that information. It doesn’t matter if I’ve already read it on the BBC website – I’d still check the Guardian or the New York Times to see if there’s something one of these outlets has reported that the other hasn’t. I am obsessed. I want to know the latest developments in Ukraine, I’m holding my breath every time the West announces more sanctions, I refresh my Twitter feed for minutes on end to read dispatches and updates from journalists and foreign correspondents on the ground.

Yet, my media consumption will be kept to myself and not shared further online. Let’s drop the ‘raise awareness’ blah blah.

Everybody is aware there is a bloody war going on in a European country in 2022.

Sharing upsetting footage ain’t going to help. Sharing the Ukrainian flag and expressing solidarity on the internet won’t do much either, I’m afraid. Neither will your opinion on Putin.

Devon Price @drdevonprice

You are not obligated to issue grand proclamations about incredibly complex issues you know relatively little about. You also are not obligated to flood your nervous system with upsetting imagery and information for hours -- that is not the same thing as informing yourself.

Sure, people respond differently and can’t be blamed for wanting to show their support – regardless of whether it is intentional or purely performative.

I choose to be cautious because of inner paranoia (or good journalistic practice?!) – fake news. Misinformation. Disinformation. Since the war began, there’s been a lot of false or misleading imagery circulating freely on social media.

It’s sometimes difficult for trained and experienced journalists to spot it, let alone people who believe everything posted on the web is – or must be – true:

Sangita Myska @SangitaMyska

I’ve deleted a previous tweet with the image below because it isn’t (as I’d assumed) current & taken by a photo journalist. Thanks to @brianwhelanhack, and other (often young) digital journalists like @Shayan86 ,for the work they do - bec it’s more important than ever #Ukraine

Sangita Myska @SangitaMyska

To clarify: I first picked up the image from an very reputable journalist. The reason I’m being entirely transparent about my mistake (unlike many others) is to demonstrate how inaccuracies can creep into the discourse and be instantly and unwittingly repeated up by millions 2/2

Of course, I stand in solidarity with Ukraine. I stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian sovereignty, culture, and language.

I stand against the war.

But in these turbulent times, perhaps it’s worth redirecting our attention from the war – a war that most of us only witness from the comfort of our homes, scrolling on our phones – and start learning more about Ukraine and its people.

Ukraine’s history shouldn’t only be defined by war. Undoubtedly, the history of war influences cultural history and society too. But it’s much more than that.

Here is a short poem by Taras Shevchenko, the national poet in Ukraine and a revered figure not only for his poetry, but for his paintings, and love for the country…

“Why weighs the heart heavy?”

Why weighs the heart heavy? Why drags life so dreary?
Why is the heart weeping and sobbing and wailing
As a child cries from hunger? Heart, heavy and weary,
What do you long for? Why are you ailing?
Are you longing for food or for drink or repose?
Slumber, my heart, for eternity sleeping,
Uncovered and shattered. . . . Let hateful people
Rage on. . . . O my heart, let your eyes gently close! . . .

** translation by Vera Rich ** 1

👋 Below I put some resources that you might find worth exploring. This list is far from exhaustive, but hopefully, it’s a step in the right direction – to be more informed and knowledgeable when it comes to Ukraine and the narrative beyond war.

** If you feel like sharing more resources/info, please leave links and descriptions in the comment section. If you have friends and/or family in Ukraine and you’re worried or want to speak with someone, simply reply to this email and I can assure you it will stay confidential. **

Thank you for doing the best you can in this difficult situation.

Thank you for reading.

Now it’s time for you to make a cup of tea or hot chocolate and snuggle up … ☕

Stay safe and take care,

Teodora x

P.SP: Normal service – Friday, Teodora, remember 🙄 – will resume next week!

😵‍💫 In case you lost the plot 🇺🇦

A thread with eight short videos to bring you up to speed with the Russia-Ukraine saga (from Ukraine’s history to NATO, Putin’s world view, denials, and sanctions.) 🙌 🚀
Check UkraineWorld for podcasts, videos, books, and explainers on Ukraine and its culture. 📝 UkraineWorld is an English-language multimedia project supported by a network of over 300 international journalists and experts that emerged during the Euromaidan Revolution of 2013-2014. 💡
Apart from the mainstream trusted news service providers such as BBC, CNN, the Guardian, New York Times etc, try The Kyiv Independent. ✅
Podcast episode: The Real and Imagined History of Ukraine. 👂
The best books to understand the Ukrainian crisis: from Stalin’s famine to Putin’s kleptocracy. 📚
Five ways to debunk fake online content and the most common manipulation techniques. 💡

✨ Beyond surface level – a quick dive into the Ukrainian culture 🇺🇦

28 Ukrainian fairytales and fables to read. 🧚
Or a digital book with more English-translated Ukrainian folk tales 🐉
11 Ukrainian literary classics you should consider reading. 🧐
A short take on war poetry in Ukraine with poets Serhiy Zhadan and Lyuba Yakimchuk. ⚔️
Women who have revolutionised Ukraine. 👯‍♀️ 🏆
Watch “Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom” on Netflix. It’s a documentary about the 2014 uprising in Ukraine and the country’s fight for freedom. 🔥
Why language – especially in conflict – matters: “It’s Kiiv, not Kiev” (+ extra opinion piece from the Atlantic Council) 💡

🙏 There is good in the world too 🇺🇦

At the Ukrainian border, a mother brings a stranger’s children to safety. 🥺
These Ukrainian women who have joined the territorial defence to protect Kyiv.🦸‍♀️
People donate blood in Kyiv to support Ukrainian soldiers. 🩸
Military and first aid training for civilians in Kyiv. 🪖
A glance at the list of global sanctions on Russia for the war in Ukraine (last update: 27th of February) 📈

📌 Random news in brief 🇺🇦

Even Madonna can’t take Putin’s lies. 👀 🤭
There is an unnamed Ukrainian pilot fighter that people hail as a hero. But he could actually be a … ghost. 👻
The first Afghan fighter on the Ukrainian front line. 🇦🇫
Lviv-based Pravda brewery switches to making Molotov cocktails. 🍸
Elon Musk is now providing satellite internet services in Ukraine. 🛰️
Google blocks RT and other Russian channels from receiving money for ads on their websites, apps, and YouTube videos. 💸

🕊️ BONUS:

A non-exhaustive list of big NGOs that are working to address the conflict in Ukraine and are asking for assistance. 🚩
Revived Soldiers Ukraine, which funds medication and medical supplies for army hospitals on the front line. Donate here. 🎖️
Nova Ukraine, a Ukraine-based non-profit that provides civilians with everything from baby food and hygiene products to clothes and household supplies. Donate here. 🍼
Voices of Children, a charity that focuses on helping children recover from the psychological trauma of war. More info here. 📣
United Help Ukraine, which distributes food and medical supplies to internally displaced people in Ukraine. Donate here. 🥫
The Kyiv Independent. Help keep accurate news reports coming by donating to their Patreon and GoFundMe pages. 📰
Ukraine Humanitarian Fund. Part of the United Nations’ OCHA division, the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund raises money for those in Eastern Ukraine, which has long been the site of sustained attacks. They are taking donations via their website portal. 🇺🇳
Instead of money – or in addition to financial support – consider donating your time to local initiatives. Services can vary from admin tasks, translation, driving duties to legal advice and counselling. ✌️

Before we say goodbye… 🥺

If you liked this issue of the newsletter, please click on the 💜 button, so I know I’m doing a good job. There’s always the option to leave a comment with your feedback. I promise I’ll always reply!

The Culture Worm

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