Do you know what the regions in the map above with orange hues have in common? For over two years now, they have been at the epicenter of an escalated war fought between Ukraine and Russia, a conflict that started over a decade ago to determine who would control them. With many other nations involved, supporting one side or the other, this war seems to have no end in sight. At the end of the day, few people have asked the individuals in these regions what they wanted. Perhaps if the world or the two main antagonists involved had, the war might have ended or maybe even never started in the first place. However, this is merely speculation and not fact. For now, what were once beautiful regions are nothing but a resting place for anywhere between 300,000 to a million dead, depending on the source and the time you read this article. Only after the war ends can an accurate death toll be ascertained. The purpose of this article is not military in nature. So, yes, as much as we want Ukraine to win, whatever that means after such large-scale destruction, we are here to tell the story of the forgotten people who have helped alleviate suffering at both a human and corporate level. More than simply telling the story of Ukraine, we hope to shed some light on the people being fought over. This article is being published during Christmas time, in a heavily Orthodox Christian region, hence some Christmas-themed entries.
"(War, huh) Good God y'all (What is it good for?) Absolutely nothing, say it again (War, huh) Lord, lord, lord, lord (What is it good for?) Absolutely nothing"
"We will not give up our freedom. We will defend it with all our strength."
How often can one admire a politician? Let’s face it, not often, unfortunately. In this case, maybe we should. Yevhen was the mayor of the small city of Dniprorudne when it was attacked by Russian troops in early 2022. It is a town of roughly 20000 people located on the edge of Zaporizhia, one of the disputed regions.
Russian policy dictates that in newly occupied territories local authorities either bend the knee or are ousted. This mayor would not bend the knee, nor did he leave and flee to save his own life. He stayed on as mayor coordinating humanitarian aid, providing security, and maintaining some semblance of local governance under dire circumstances. Matveiev was likely involved in keeping the population informed about the ongoing situation, which could include warnings about military actions or providing updates on Ukrainian military movements or resistance efforts. He became the ultimate symbol of resistance. Unfortunately for him, this behaviour was not what Russian protocol dictated. So for Russia, he had to go. Once captured he was sent to a Russian prison before he was pronounced dead in December 2024, resisting every step of the way. It was obvious that in this town, the people’s mayor decided which side they were on, and unfortunately, Yevhen paid the price.
"I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice."
A doctor’s job is to save lives no matter the circumstance, and no matter the odds. Their goal is to remain impartial and neutral. They should not have political alliances or borders, especially in times of war, to be most effective. Meet Oleksandr Babich. When Mariupol was occupied by Russian forces, he became a symbol of heroism. Doctors and medics typically remain untouched by opposing forces, but not in this war. He remained and did his job until he was captured. Perhaps he was captured because of his value, as he later became a pawn in a prisoner exchange that netted Russians some military assets. However, this is merely an assumption. Not much is known about the prisoner exchange, nor the good doctor after the exchange, either. That’s the issue with writing this article as the war drags on. Both sides keep information close to their chest, and only when the war ends can we know for sure what became of Mr. Babich. Most likely, he is in Ukrainian-held territories performing his duties. Normally this author doesn’t use references currently unavailable, but the BBC article referenced is no longer available as of the date this article was published. However, a search on X on the @EuromaidanPress, or @KyivIndependent handles should generate the article.
People often talk about merciless warlords in poorer nations, those with no legitimate governments. Now contrast this doctor’s story about how Russia’s military treated him with Dr. Hawa Abdi, an ironically Ukrainian-educated doctor in war-torn Somalia who was untouchable and returned immediately to her hospital when captured even as a woman in a war that respected few of them.
"Yurii's death pushed us to accept the fact that you can do anything in this life while you are still alive."
Anastasiia Okhrimenko’s story is not hidden behind any government firewall or labeled top secret. She is fortunate enough to be a living national heroine living near Kyiv, the capital which is not currently occupied, though it was at one point. In Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, she witnessed war crimes firsthand during Russia’s invasion, documenting them for posterity. She remained physically unscathed, never being arrested or jailed. Her fiancé, Yurii Stiahliuk, was less fortunate; he died in service in Donetsk in August 2022. Anastasiia became a symbol for spouses left behind in the war after a photograph captured her sharing a cigarette with a friend, both mourning the loss of their loved ones. Using this newfound recognition, she has channeled her grief into positive action, helping others recover through psychological counseling with various NGOs, and documenting the atrocities to ensure they are never forgotten.
"Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, 'Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'"
This one is tricky, as many of us, especially younger generations, decry evil corporations, capitalism, the 1%, billionaires, and the like. However, many of these “super evil mega-corporations” can contribute more than governments to efforts, regardless of what one might think of them. This is why we include them here because, to most people, their contributions go unrecognized. But once you consider that the push for involvement often comes from employees who care just as much as it does from board members, I think these big “monsters” deserve a look, don’t you? So for one second, let’s remove politics from the equation (P.S. I am preparing readers for the first entry with that statement!) and see how some major corporations have helped as well. Don’t worry because as far as we’re concerned the small things that regular people do to help, far exceed the contributions of bigger corporations, even if corporate help can be very helpful. The value of a gift is not measured by its amount but by the sacrifice or the proportion of one’s resources given.
"Technology is the leverage that allows us to do more with less. It's about improving the human condition."
"Technology is a great equalizer, but it can also be a great divider. It's our job to make sure it's the former."
"Open happiness."
Pepsi committed to providing over 4 million servings of food and drinks in the first few months of the conflict and pledged $2 million in cash donations to relief efforts. This commitment has continued, though exact figures beyond the initial announcements are less publicized.
However, considering the scale of their operations and ongoing support, their contributions are significant, likely amounting to tens of millions when including the value of the food and beverage products donated.
Euromaidan Press – Abducted mayor of Dniprorudne dies in Russian captivity , BBC News – “Mariupol: The doctors who stayed behind to save lives”, or @KyivIndependent on X for Dr. Oleksandr Babich, Denver Post – Anastasiia Okhrimenko, Information for Starlink, Microsoft and Pepsi contributions to Ukraine are readily available anywhere
All images are AI-generated using Fotor and are not meant to describe the subject matter they portray factually, but figuratively.
