A full-scale war continues in Ukraine. Concerned Ukrainian personalities appealed to Ukrainians living outside Ukraine. "Today, as never before, we must unite around a common problem, to speak out in unison to democratically uphold our rights and believe in a dignified future", they wrote.
Here is the direct speech:
A full-scale war is going on in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian nation is at war with Russia for its right to exist and the opportunity to have its own state. The stakes are as high as possible and there will be only one winner - Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.
Today, the Russian horde uses forms and methods of warfare typical of war criminals of Hitler's Germany to destroy our state: the cities and villages of Ukraine with their civilian population - children, adolescents, pregnant women, the elderly - are being devastated. Can you imagine that in the 21st century, entire cities and even regions will be wiped off the face of the earth? Today you can only look at the center of the food industry and construction industry of Ukraine - the city of Volnovakha. All infrastructure is completely destroyed. Unfortunately, a city like Volnovakha no longer exists. These are heinous crimes. Even in 1941, the Nazi troops, while keeping the city under occupation, kept it in its original form.
And what is happening with one of the most beautiful cities in Europe – Mariupol? Every day, Russian aircraft drop 50 to 100 bombs on city residents. Due to daily shelling and bombing, about 80% of the city's housing has been destroyed, along with its inhabitants. Russia commits similar crimes against humanity in Kharkiv, Melitopol, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kyiv, Irpin, Bucha.
In addition, the Russian army purposefully targets hospitals, schools, cultural monuments, museums, and in the occupied territories obliterates everything Ukrainian - destroys architectural monuments, burns cultural centers and venues of Ukrainian-language publications, tortures and murders people who defend their rights to be Ukrainian. The result of Russia's "denazification" has already killed 139 children, another 205 have been injured. And all these horrors take place in the heart of Europe, which is a seat of democracy, tolerance and the highest human values.
Our future and the future of Ukraine depends on the stability, courage and unity of the Ukrainian nation.
We are very grateful to Western countries and their leaders for supporting our state in the fight against the Russian invader. At the same time, the steps taken by our Western partners have proven insufficient and do not allow us to stop Putin's war crimes against Ukraine. Prolonged hesitation of politicians, their naive belief that the war will not affect other people leads to an increase in arrogance and cynicism in the actions of Russian troops and produces in them a sense of impunity.
We dare not be indifferent to our fellow Ukrainians who are fighting.
We urge you, Ukrainians living in the USA, Canada, Australia, countries of Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, to carry out large-scale activities (demonstrations, petitions) to support and help Ukraine prevail in this bloody war.
What is needed is the mobilization of the whole world in order to overcome the greatest evil of the XXI, taking appropriate action to prevent the genocide of the Ukrainian people, stop the bloodshed and restore peace in the heart of Europe.
If during the Nazi onslaught the world was able to unite and resist this invasion, what has changed today? Have we become weaker or less united? We believe in democratic values, respect and tolerance for other peoples. What happened today? Have our beliefs turned out to be nothing more than an empty slogans?
In our opinion, the following action should be taken:
- increasing financial assistance to Ukraine, including more arms and military equipment;
- the closure of the airspace over Ukraine with at the very least the delivery of Patriot missiles and other long-range air and missile defence equipment;
- delivery of suitable combat aircraft and helicopters as well as offensive weapons (tanks, armoured personnel carriers, long-range artillery systems, volley and jet artillery systems, counter-battery combat systems), drones for strategic aviation and striking capability, drones and missiles for the destruction of ships and sophisticated tools for communication, night vision, etc.
We need to actively continue and promote political and economic sanctions and blockades that will effectively stop Putin, save the lives of millions of Ukrainians and bring us closer to victory. Russia must be an international pariah through exclusion from the UN Security Council and deprivation of its participation in other international organisations as an aggressor and terrorist state and actively pursue Russia's and Putin's condemnation as war criminals by the International Criminal Court.
Don't be indifferent!
Indifference and delay facilitate criminality and aggression!
Remember that the fate of Ukraine and millions of Ukrainians is in your hands!
Together to victory! Glory to Ukraine!
Civil activists
1. Alim Aliev, human rights defender, co-founder of “Crimea-SOS” NGO, Deputy Director General of the Ukrainian Institute
2. Yuliia Fediv, Chief Executive Officer of a digital broadcasting station “Hromadske”, ex-director of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, cultural and media manager
3. Lenna Koszarny, Founding Partner and Chief Executive Officer of the leading private equity firm Horizon Capital, Executive Vice-President of Western NIS Enterprise Fund, Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine and a Board Member and Vice President of the Ukrainian World Congress
4. Roman Balayan, film director
5. Myroslav Marynovych, Vice-rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University, human rights defender, publicist, religious scholar, founding member of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group
6. Zurab Alasania, journalist, media manager
7. Oleh Rybachuk, Head and co-founder of «Centre UA» NGO
8. Mykola Zhylynskyi, Head of «Ukraine - World» NGO (Organization on Relations with Ukrainians living outside Ukraine)
9. Tamara Hundorova, literacy critic, culturologist
10.Natalya Sumska, People’s Artist of Ukraine
11.Anatolii Khostikoiev, People’s Artist of Ukraine
12.Kateryna Zagoriy, media expert, co-founder of the “Zagoriy Foundation”
13.Vlad Troitsky, theater actor, theater director, dramaturge, radio host
14.Herman Makarenko, Kyiv Classic Orchestra Artistic Director, Conductor of the National Opera of Ukraine
15.Andrii Khalpakhchi, film critic, Head of Ukrainian Film Foundation
16.Bohdan Prach, Rector of Ukrainian Catholic University
17.Larysa Masenko, prof. of University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy
18.Hobart Earle, Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra
19.Olexiy Haran, prof. of Comparative Politics, University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy, Research Director, Democratic Initiatives Foundation
20.Yosyf Zisels, dissident, prominent activist in the Jewish movement in Ukraine, Executive Vice-president of Congress of Ethnic Communities of Ukraine, Head of Association of Jewish Organizations and Communities of Ukraine
21. Sergii Meshcheriak, President of Ukrainian branch of International Law Association
22.Mykola Siryi, jurist
23.Sergii Senchenko, Head of Ukrainian human rights movement “Force of Law”
24.Liudmyla Skyrda, poet, culturologist, literacy critic
25.Serhiy Rebrov, football manager, former player
26.Serhiy Stakhovsky, tennis player
Social activists – members of Honorable council of the Order of St. Panteleimon
27.Vasyl Kniazevych, Head of the Honorable Council, Minister of Health of Ukraine (2007-2010), Chairman of the Board of NGO "Ukrainian League for Palliative and Hospice Care", Doctor of Medical Sciences, Honored Doctor of Ukraine.
28.Filia Zhebrovska, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of PJSC "Farmak"
29.Mykhailo Panochko, Senior bishop of the Church of Christians of the Evangelical Faith in Ukraine
30.Mykola Onishchuk, politician, lawyer, doctor of law, President of the Institute of Legal Policy
31.Viktor Pynzenyk, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Minister of Finance of Ukraine (2005-2006, 2007-2009)
32.Vasyl Kremen, scientist, President of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine
33.Mykhailo Zghurovsky, Doctor of Technical Sciences, President of the National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute".
34.Oksana Bilozir, People's Artist of Ukraine
35.Mykola Prodanchuk, scientist in the field of toxicology, hygiene, doctor of medical sciences, professor, honored doctor of Ukraine, corresponding member of the NationalAcademy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, director of the L.I. Medved Institute of Ecohygiene and Toxicology of the Ministry
36.Yurii Voronenko, Rector of P.L. Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine.
37.Metropolitan of Pereyaslav and Vyshnevsky Oleksandr (Drabynko), Deputy Head of the Synodal Commission on Inter-Christian Relations
38.Lidiia Kaliuzhna, honored Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Prof. of the P.L. Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education
39.Metropolitan Filaret of Lviv and Galicia Filaret, Head of the Synodal Department of Health and Pastoral Care of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
40.Liliia Hrynevych, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine (2016-2019)
41.Yuriy Yekhanurov, Prime Minister of Ukraine (2005-2006), Minister of Defense (2007-2009)
42.Pavlo Hrytsenko, linguist-dialectologist, linguogeographer, Doctor of Philological Sciences, professor, head of the department of dialectology, director of the Institute of Ukrainian Language of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
43.Oleksandr Kharchenko, journalist, Director of The National News Agency of Ukraine "Ukrinform"
44.Leonid Huberskyi, Doctor of Science (Philosophy), Professor, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Academician of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine, Merited Worker of Education of Ukraine
45.Vitalii Tsymbaliuk, scientist-neurosurgeon of the highest category, Academician of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, President of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine
46.Oleksandr Naumenko, Vice rector of scientific-pedagogical, medical work and post- graduate education, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Honored Doctor of Ukraine
Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine
47.Oleksandr Motsyk
48.Yevhen Bersheda
49.Valeriy Chaly
50.Ihor Lytvyn
51.Volodymyr Khandohiy
52.Borys Humeniuk
53.Volodymyr Vasylenko
54.Kostiantyn Tymoshenko
55.Ihor Turianskyi
56.Borys Bazylevsky
57.Yuriy Malko
58.Serhiy Reva
59.Volodymyr Kryzhanivsky
60.Yuriy Bohaievsky
61.Yuriy Kostenko
62.Volodymyr Ohryzko
63.Yuriy Shcherbak
