No celebration for this anniversary
Ican’t believe it’s a year since the Russians invaded Ukraine. The invasion has caused tens of thousands of deaths on both sides and instigated Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War Two.
A year down the line is really no cause for celebration with so many lives lost and so many families split up or displaced and no sign of the conflict ceasing any time soon.
If the daily diet of news pictures of destruction in Ukraine isn’t enough of a reminder of the futility of war, the 2022 German epic anti-war film ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ is making other headlines having just scooped seven awards at the BAFTAs.
I haven’t seen it yet but from all accounts it is a gripping storyline and follows some classmates who enlist in the army to serve their fatherland without properly thinking it through, and quickly discover the reality of their situation.
The other week I watched a BBC documentary The People’s Fight which follows a group of volunteers, from all walks of life, in a special forces unit, who are risking life and limb for their country with very little in the way of combat training. Not too dissimilar from All Quiet on the Western Front albeit with modern, more accurate and destructive weaponry.
If these people are prepared to risk everything for their country to defeat Putin and the Russian onslaught it’s not much of a sacrifice for those of us that can to look after some refugees having to flee Ukraine or other war torn areas, through no fault of their own.
We have been privileged to house two wonderful young Ukrainians from two families. One set of parents are settled in Belgium and the other are still in Kyiv living through regular missile attacks, blackouts, and interruptions to water supply.
I appreciate that not all placements work out but for us it continues to be an enriching experience.
Alex and I were only saying the other night that our family has been extended by two lovely human beings who are protective and supportive of us in equal measure.
Very shortly they will be moving out and settling down in the Halifax area and I will be sad to see them go but having spoken to both sets of their parents I know they are so appreciative we have provided a safe haven for their children so they can secure jobs, a car and very soon a new home!
It’s easy to be ‘down in the dumps’ with what feels like at times a cruel world, largely man made like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but natural disasters can be just as devastating as we are seeing with the horrific earthquake in Turkey and Syria, claiming the lives of over 45,000 people.
It’s unimaginable this scale of disaster and we can only watch events unfold and hope that humanitarian aid and practical support gets to the people who need it as soon as possible.
Syria and Turkey may well be another emergency refugee situation where the UK and others may well be asked to step up and look after refugees and hopefully those of us who can help will do so and help others in their time of need.