Ukrainian man raises money in Poland to send tactical material for country's fighters

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LUBLIN, Poland (AA) – The West has not done enough to stop Russia’s aggression since it invaded Crimea eight years ago, says a Ukrainian who lives in the Polish city of Lublin.

Oleksandr Riuchyn, a 37-year-old self-appointed aid collector for Ukraine, has stood at the gate of the historic castle in Lublin almost every day since Feb. 25 this year, a day after the Russian army started attacking his country.

“I have collected approximately 30,000 zloty (around $7,000) until now and sent back to Ukraine for much needed combat materials,” he told Anadolu Agency.

Supported generously by the city’s locals, Oleksandr uses a cafe as the headquarters of his operation in central Lublin which is run by a Polish man named Pawel and his Ukrainian girlfriend Ohtryka.

Backed by good friends Eryk and Jan, Oleksandr uses the donations he collects to buy “tactical boots, gloves and night-vision cameras” to be used by Ukrainians in their fight against the Russian army.

Meeting with an Anadolu Agency team at the cafe where he met his Polish friend Joanna, Oleksandr was drinking a cup of coffee after a long and tiring day. He said the day was not very productive as it rained most of the time and there were fewer people on the streets.

As we witnessed the strong support from the Polish people to Ukrainians throughout the week, we saw the same support from Joanna as she agreed to drive us all to Oleksandr’s mother’s house.

When we entered the humble flat where Nadiia lives with Oleksandr, the pleasant smell of a soup she made welcomed us.

She hastily offered the tasty vegetable soup to her son and his friends, which was followed by a delicious Ukrainian dish, vareniki – a dumpling-style boiled pastry filled mainly with potatoes, carrots and onions.

Nadiia arrived in Lublin fleeing Ukraine two weeks ago, and took refuge here.

“She was supposed to come here in the summer to visit me,” Oleksandr said.

“But she came earlier because of the war.”

Nadiia told us that she does “not hate Russian people, Russia or their language.”

“But I have my other son over there and of course my friends,” she said, adding she cannot stop thinking of her son.

“Duzhe, duzhe,” (very much) Nadiia said when asked whether she misses other family members and friends who are still in Ukraine.

“I would be happy to be with my son here if the situation was different. But now, I am thinking of my other son who is in Ukraine.”

Oleksandr said his mother would like to work but he wants her to stay at home and cook Ukrainian dishes and maybe she can earn money this way.

- All Russians are responsible, says Oleksandr

Russia has no right to exist in a civilized world as it is its habit to grab territories from other countries, said Oleksandr.

“I think Europe didn’t do enough to stop this. Business from Russia … buying gas … doing business with Russia, and during these last eight years, Russia has stayed powerful.

“It (Russia) is our enemy in all our history,” Oleksandr said angrily.

“It is not news that Russia wants, grabs any countries. In this moment, the war must stop. How am I feeling? I am very angry. Eighty percent of Russian people keep Putin (in power), keep Russian soldiers (attacking) and (it is not) Putin’s war in Ukraine but Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“100,000 Russian soldiers (wage) war in Ukraine, kill our people, children. It is not Putin, it is all Russians. I don’t see now protests in Russia.”

He also argued that Russia does not have a right to be in this “civilized” world because it is a “wild nation.”