The images we are seeing on a daily basis are terrifying, and what we are hearing from our colleagues and loved ones is heartbreaking. This is a deplorable assault on an entire country, its history, and its identity. Unjustified violence has been directed at civilian populations and the armed forces, who find themselves paying a heavy price for Moscow’s actions as they defend Ukraine’s right to freedom.
Our hearts and sincerest thoughts go out to Ukraine and to everyone hard hit by this act of depravity. Ukraine is not alone, and we offer our wholehearted support: we stand with Ukraine.
Many of you no doubt want to show your solidarity with Ukraine, but you may not know where to begin. There are a couple of ways you can help. First, you can prevent the transmission of Russian propaganda by ensuring that you and others have access to reliable information. Second, you can support Ukrainians who are fighting the invasion, surviving under attack, or seeking refuge abroad through donations to recognized charities. We can support Ukrainians in their struggle in our own way, even from abroad.
We thus urge you to consult the following list of reliable sources of information, as well as some vetted organizations to which you can make a donation. Please note that the lists below are not exhaustive.
Where to find reliable information in English
Social media is rife with misinformation, and a classic hybrid war strategy is the distortion of facts to attempt to justify the unjustifiable. Our expertise as Ukrainian Studies scholars helps us to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources concerning Ukraine, and we are happy to share some trustworthy ones with you.
Western public media (free access)
CBC, PBS, NPR, BBC, DW, France 24, CNN, The Guardian, The Irish Times
Open-source investigative journalism (follow on Twitter)
Centre for Information Resilience
- Twitter: @Cen4InfoRes
- Twitter: @Bellingcat
Independent Ukrainian news outlets
- Twitter: @KyivIndependent
- Twitter: @NewVoiceUkraine
Official Ukrainian news outlets
- Twitter (English): @Ukrinform_News
- Twitter: @KyivPost
Twitter accounts (in English)
- Dominique Arel, Chair of Ukrainian Studies: @darelasn
- Chris Miller: @ChristopherJM
- Mark MacKinnon (Globe and Mail): @markmackinnon
- Micheal Kofman: @KofmanMichael
- Nataliya Gumenyuk: @ngumenyuk
- Olga Tokariuk: @olgatokariuk
- Sarah Rainsford: @sarahrainsford
Where to donate
The following organisations have been vetted by the team here at the Chair of Ukrainian Studies.
Humanitarian/refugee support
- Razom for Ukraine: a pro-democracy group fundraising for medical supplies
- Nova Ukraine: humanitarian aid to Ukraine
- Revived Soldiers Ukraine: a non-profit funding medical rehabilitation for Ukrainian soldiers
- Canada-Ukraine Foundation: Toronto-based group coordinating charitable aid to Ukraine from Canada
- Voices of Children: psychological support for children affected by conflict in Eastern Ukraine
- UNHCR: UN Refugee Agency Ukraine campaign
- Come Back Alive Foundation: a Ukrainian NGO supporting veterans
Ukrainians on the ground
- Bank of Ukraine Funds for Ukraine’s Armed Forces: a designated fund for the Ukrainian Army
- Army SOS: a Ukrainian NGO that sends money directly to the Ukrainian Army
- LGBTQ+ military: a union of LGBTQ+ military, veterans and volunteers
- Sunflowers of Peace: a medical aid fundraiser
Websites aggregating information regarding donations and actions you can take
Find your local rally in support of Ukrainians
Want to learn more about the context of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine?
- Access this series of articles in the journal Nationalities Papers for free until the end of March 2022.
- Words matter: how to pronounce and spell Kyiv
#StandWithUkraine