Anna - A Voice from Ukraine

---this episode is recorded in english--- This is not one of our
usual "mit Milch und Zucker" recordings. There won't be our usual
talk about coffee and things that inspire us. Anna currently lives
in the Ukraine and gave us an update about life there. How is she
coping, how is she getting information and how can we actually
help. The episode was recorded on Saturday 26th of Feburary at 6pm
(GMT+1) and resonates the events until then. We are sure a lot has
happened since then and we want to ask you to listen to Anna, her
story and learn how to support people in the Ukraine. Thank you
Anna for your time, we are very grateful for your trust. (03:41) We
are in a safe place and my family is ok and I am ok. As much as we
can be in this situation. (04:11) The war started 2014 with Crimea
being taken away. (05:16) You get tired of the panic. You await
everything, but it is still unbelievable once it starts. (06:19) I
woke up at 4am because I heard some explosions. (06:44) You hear
the explosions, and you see your kids and you think “What should I
do?” (07:14) I thought they would not attack civilians, but now
they are bombing Kyiv. (07:45) People are living in the subway
stations. Women are giving birth there. (08:07) I escaped with my
family and the kid of a volunteer for the military. She said to me
“You take my kid and you leave Kyiv.” (11:39) You must keep your
mental health, because it is really crucial. (12:00) The as we call
it “Blitzkrieg” has failed, because they did not invade us in two
days, as they wanted to. (14:21) It is the 21st century and someone
comes and puts his nostalgia over the Soviet Union with missiles
over your head. (14:35) It is not a Tsunami, it is a force of men.
(14:54) There is so much to do for Humanity, why do you have to
start this war? (15:38) When the Crimea was taken, nobody believed
it was happening. And from that time, we do have a grief against
Europe, because everyone, Germany, France, told us not to do
anything and to understand Putin. (16:28) They did kill people and
they did take children from our soldiers. (17:10) Russian Media
tried to persuade people, that eastern and western Ukrainians are
like East- and West Germany. But that is not the case. They even
vote quite similar. (18:16) When the tension rises, you always
search for someone to blame. (19:40) Russia attacked military
people first but second pro-European people. (20:37) They said:
“Let Putin take Crimea and he will stop.” He didn’t. They said: “He
needs Luhansk und Donezk as a corridor to Crimea, he will stop
then.” He didn’t. Ukraine will not be enough for him. He wants half
of Europe. (22:00) This is a question of European Security. (25:38)
You see where Hate leads you. It does not stop with the speech.
(26:25) You don’t know what happens tomorrow, you don’t know what
happens today. Right know we think we are safe in Western Ukraine,
but this can change. (28:55) It’s better to escape than to panic.
(30:54) People are preparing where to go when there is bombing, how
to communicate when there is no internet connection. (32:22) I
don’t know how we manage, but we manage. (32:44) There are two ways
to help. Support NGOs and donate or join European Groups on
Facebook and organize medical help or civilian needs. (33:56)
Switch Russia off from Swift and provide “no fight zones”. (34:31)
Stop the aggression now with us in the Ukraine, to prevent it
coming to you. (35:41) Russian Liberals say “Do, what you are not
afraid to do.” If it is a Facebook Post, it is a Facebook Post. If
it is #nowar – do it. (36:30) Ukraine will stay strong.