A Personal Update on the Situation in the Ukraine Thank you so much to those of you who have checked in on me about my family in Ukraine. As some of you know I was born and raised in the city of Kharkiv (a predominantly Russian city during the Soviet Era) and we left for Israel in 1994 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Being in the Soviet Union meant being part of Russia, hence why my family and I all speak Russian. In 1991 Ukraine had separated and we were told to learn Ukrainian overnight. We left to Israel 6 months later because the country was in shambles. Unfortunately, this is part of Putin’s argument of claiming that Ukraine’s population are largely Russian-speaking and belong within Russia. I am not a policy expert in the region, I will just share with you a personal account of people we are in contact with there. Up until last night my family there did not think that Putin was going to invade. Everyone was aware that Putin was angered by the increasing Western influence on Ukraine and in combination with his thoughts about the Soviet Union collapse dividing Russian people and the current Ukrainian leader being outwardly antagonistic towards Moscow – but they did not think he would enter into bloodshed or risk the sanctions from other world superpowers. I only have two uncles and a few distant relatives left in their 50s left there. My mom’s brother was in the military when he was younger and is a big Ukrainian Patriot, especially since the Annex Crimea and has already told us he has taken up arms. Today we heard him and his wife’s family have evacuated Kharkiv and are hoping to get to Germany(although it may be too late). My grandfather moved to Russia several years ago (thankfully) although we do worry about Russians finding out he is Ukrainian. Wars breed hate. Many people who are left are much older now and if they didn’t leave during the communist era when their neighbors were being thrown in the gulag, or when Stalin starved hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians, or after the Soviet Union collapse, numerous corruption crises and lastly when Russia annexed Crimea – they are probably not relocating now. I know Israel has accepted Jewish refugees and will likely accept many more. However, my family that is left there are not Jewish and their option today moving to Poland, Slovakia, Romania or Hungary. The situation is terrible for everyone – for Ukrainians who are fighting for their lives and homes; for the Russians in Russia who cannot speak up against Putin and will feel the effects of the sanctions; and for the rest of the world. Sanctions on Russia will threaten the already fragile global economy. For example, Italy had already said that it cannot sanction Russia’s oil because it would only devastate Italy. I know we will all be hearing about this for the next several days and weeks and hopefully with some sort of a resolution or at least a temporary peace agreement soon. That is all we can pray for. I do appreciate those who have been keeping up and checking in with me.
Alona Geysman Vice President, Corporate & Business Development AGeysman@JewishBroward.org