The story of volunteer Vladimir

On the morning of February, 24, 2022 it became clear that there was no place for our family in Russia. My greatest fear was that Russia would take control of Ukraine quickly, as planned. This would inevitably lead to terrible repressions against Ukrainians, as we saw in Bucha. However, inside Russia the repressions would start in any case, regardless of the outcome of the war. 

For the people resisting the war Russia would be dangerous in any case — both if it wins the war, but especially if it loses it.

We wanted to move to a country where we could help Ukrainian refugees.This helped me to cope with the guilt that I feel for the actions of the country that I’m associated with as a citizen

One should first be a human being, and then a citizen.

We saw that many Ukrainians had come to Georgia and there were already associations that were helping them and needed volunteers. So we rented a place next to the organisation we liked most — Emigration for action. We joined it last May, as soon as we moved to the country.

I deliver medication to refugees and help them with legal matters.

Most of the time, I drop off medication to an elderly couple who came from the Luhansk region — the part of it that was controlled by Ukraine until February 2022. This Georgian-Armenian family had lived there for about 30 years. They had a house and a small business. Neighbours tell us that Russian soldiers now live in the house. The property was looted, valuable items were taken to Russia.

During this time the husband, already ill by the outbreak of war, died of cancer. At almost exactly the same time, their son and his wife were involved in a terrible car accident. They collided with a Russian military truck pulling out of its unit near Luhansk. The woman was killed and the son is having to learn to walk again. 

It is not only on the battlefield that war takes and destroys lives.

In addition to medication, Emigration for action helped this family by paying for a caregiver for the very sick husband. 

This story and hundreds of others that have passed through our organisation prove to me the importance of volunteering, especially in times of mass disasters. These experiences change your perception of the world.