After eight years of military aggression against Ukraine Russia has launched an unprecedented full-scale war against our country. Russian invasion has the potential of becoming bigger and even deadlier than any other conflict that took place in Europe since World War II. United in rage and determination, Ukrainians are fighting the aggressor on all fronts.

 

We at the Ukrainian Institute would like to share some updates and requests with you.

 

On 24 February 2022, at 5 am the armed forces of the Russian Federation attacked Ukraine. It is a completely unjustified and disproportionate attack that inflicts unnecessary suffering throughout Ukraine. Russia is conducting warfare with disregard to the key principle of the international law, namely distinction between civilians and combatants, or between civilian and military objects. Explosions are heard in many cities of Ukraine, including those from bomb shelling. The aggressor’s tanks and heavy artillery crossed the Ukrainian border from the north, the south, and the east. The Ukrainian Army continues to defend every piece of the Ukrainian territory, every civilian, and the very spirit of freedom and democracy. Ukraine resists and strives for peace.

 

The Ukrainian Institute works in an emergency mode as an information hub in close cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Our Kyiv office is closed but we continue to work remotely. Our whole team is safe now, as safe as we can be in times of war. All our projects planned for the next three months are suspended. We have started individual conversations with all our partners about each project. We are in touch with the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine regarding Ukraine Institute’s funding for the following months. We will keep you updated in due course.

 

 

 Our team keeps receiving hundreds of requests and inquiries on how to help Ukraine. The most important things we ask you to do right now are:

read and share verified information about Russia’s attack on Ukraine, e.g.:

 

 

 Donate funds to support the Ukrainians in this fight and encourage your family, friends and networks to do so:

 

Join or organise peaceful protests and rallies in your cities. Your governments are much more likely to proportionately respond to the world’s most outrageous military aggression in contemporary history if they see a clear message from their citizens, that is YOU;

 

Publish posts on your personal and institutional social media pages to condemn the Russian aggression and support Ukraine using #StandWithUkraine, #StopRussianAggression, and any of the images created by the Ukrainian activists.

 

Boycott Russian cultural activities. Today, we need your solidarity and support more than ever. Russia has been using its ‘great culture’ to justify, downplay and steer public attention away from its countless war crimes, acts of aggression, violation of human rights and international law. You can make a huge difference by stripping Russia of this leverage, regardless of where you work.

 

We ask you to suspend all your projects that involve Russian institutions and individuals and not engage in any cooperation with Russian culture or education sector. Please make sure you communicate your decision publicly and issue a formal statement outlining your decision. You may use the hashtag #CancelRussia, along with #StandWithUkraine, #StopRussianAggression.

 

The international cultural community has the power to help put an end to this war. We ask for your support in the name of democratic values, peace, truth, and freedom of choice.

 

You can reach us at contact@ui.org.ua and press@ui.org.ua (media inquiries only). We monitor this email constantly and will respond to your enquiry as soon as possible.

 

Peace for us all,

The Ukrainian Institute team