6 ms·

Ask HN: Friend has mom in Kharkiv – contact / path to help escort out?

59 points by aghilmort 5y ago

DM me / @DotDotJames on Twitter

geoduck14 5y ago
I know a church in Siret, Romania is helping people get out - but Kharkiv is a LOOONG way from Kharkiv.
- aghilmort 5y ago
  yeah, that's the core issue, Kharkiv is hard to enter/exit -- just grrrrrrrrrrr
rsd79 5y ago
In regards to local evacuation it's unlikely that anybody outside of Kharkiv area will be able to help. If she manages to get through the border to any neighbouring western country she will be taken care of. There is no need to set anything up in advance in current chaotic situation as she would be potentially blocking accommodation for multiple other people. I'm hosting 6 refugees from Ukraine in Gdansk, northern Poland and the situation is that help is organized on social media and volunteers find accommodation for refugees within minutes, up to several hours after a request is raised. During that time they will have a warm place to stay and food to eat, there are absolutely no people left without help. Just an hour ago I've seen an offer from a person able to provide roof for 500(!) people. It is likely that the situation is already more problematic closer to Ukrainian border, so flexibility to travel further west (including Germany, which started organizing similar help recently) is going to help. Transport from the UKR-POL border is also a non-issue - Ukrainians can use trains for free, there are also private buses and cars picking up groups of people and moving them to various destinations. For free. To Ukrainians in need - just get through the border and we'll handle it for you from there.
- aghilmort 5y ago
  helpful / thank you -- passed along to my contact
joeman1000 5y ago
There is very little they can do, I am afraid to say. My mother-in-law is currently in Chernigov (Northern Ukraine). I think the situation is similar in Kharkiv. The city is surrounded, bridges and roads are ruined, they are being bombed all over. We are waiting on legitimate 'green corridors' to be established before people can get out. Russians have continued shelling in Mariupol even after agreeing to let civilians out in a cease-fire. At this point they are no better than terrorists.
- aghilmort 5y ago
  yes, just saw news on safe corridors, hopefully that will help some of the cities
- Daniel1Rosen 5y ago
  Russia leaves security corridors open. Just as Russia accepts refugees, so do other countries. Russia is not fighting people, Russia is destroying the threat - military facilities.
  - smogg 5y ago
    They are also either not respecting the agreement ([1]), or pretty much forcing people to go to Russia/Belarus by only allowing corridors in that direction ([2]). Most importantly - Russia is NOT only targeting military facilities. They also: - shelled a church ([3]) - targeted residential buildings in Kharkiv and many other places ([4], [5]) - are shooting at civilians ([6]) The Russian invasion on Ukraine has nothing to do with removing any threats to any one. The Russian government and anyone supporting it IS the threat to democracy, freedom and human rights. - [1] - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/07/russia-humanitarian-corridors-ukraine-war-mariupol-kyiv https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/07/russia-humanit... - [2] https://gvwire.com/2022/03/07/live-ukraine-updates-safe-corridors-mostly-lead-to-russia-belarus/ https://gvwire.com/2022/03/07/live-ukraine-updates-safe-corr... - [3] https://twitter.com/AS7404542949/status/1500840315330174977 https://twitter.com/AS7404542949/status/1500840315330174977 - [4] https://www.indiatoday.in/world/russia-ukraine-war/video/russia-targets-residential-buildings-kharkiv-ukraine-visuals-1921589-2022-03-07 https://www.indiatoday.in/world/russia-ukraine-war/video/rus... - [5] https://www.euronews.com/2022/03/02/russian-bomb-hit-a-residential-building https://www.euronews.com/2022/03/02/russian-bomb-hit-a-resid... - [6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBkxV8Sch5U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBkxV8Sch5U

59 points by aghilmort 5y ago

DM me / @DotDotJames on Twitter

geoduck14 5y ago

I know a church in Siret, Romania is helping people get out - but Kharkiv is a LOOONG way from Kharkiv.

aghilmort 5y ago
yeah, that's the core issue, Kharkiv is hard to enter/exit -- just grrrrrrrrrrr

rsd79 5y ago

In regards to local evacuation it's unlikely that anybody outside of Kharkiv area will be able to help. If she manages to get through the border to any neighbouring western country she will be taken care of. There is no need to set anything up in advance in current chaotic situation as she would be potentially blocking accommodation for multiple other people. I'm hosting 6 refugees from Ukraine in Gdansk, northern Poland and the situation is that help is organized on social media and volunteers find accommodation for refugees within minutes, up to several hours after a request is raised. During that time they will have a warm place to stay and food to eat, there are absolutely no people left without help. Just an hour ago I've seen an offer from a person able to provide roof for 500(!) people. It is likely that the situation is already more problematic closer to Ukrainian border, so flexibility to travel further west (including Germany, which started organizing similar help recently) is going to help. Transport from the UKR-POL border is also a non-issue - Ukrainians can use trains for free, there are also private buses and cars picking up groups of people and moving them to various destinations. For free. To Ukrainians in need - just get through the border and we'll handle it for you from there.

aghilmort 5y ago
helpful / thank you -- passed along to my contact

joeman1000 5y ago

There is very little they can do, I am afraid to say. My mother-in-law is currently in Chernigov (Northern Ukraine). I think the situation is similar in Kharkiv. The city is surrounded, bridges and roads are ruined, they are being bombed all over. We are waiting on legitimate 'green corridors' to be established before people can get out. Russians have continued shelling in Mariupol even after agreeing to let civilians out in a cease-fire. At this point they are no better than terrorists.

aghilmort 5y ago
yes, just saw news on safe corridors, hopefully that will help some of the cities
Daniel1Rosen 5y ago
Russia leaves security corridors open. Just as Russia accepts refugees, so do other countries. Russia is not fighting people, Russia is destroying the threat - military facilities.
- smogg 5y ago
  They are also either not respecting the agreement ([1]), or pretty much forcing people to go to Russia/Belarus by only allowing corridors in that direction ([2]). Most importantly - Russia is NOT only targeting military facilities. They also: - shelled a church ([3]) - targeted residential buildings in Kharkiv and many other places ([4], [5]) - are shooting at civilians ([6]) The Russian invasion on Ukraine has nothing to do with removing any threats to any one. The Russian government and anyone supporting it IS the threat to democracy, freedom and human rights. - [1] - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/07/russia-humanitarian-corridors-ukraine-war-mariupol-kyiv https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/07/russia-humanit... - [2] https://gvwire.com/2022/03/07/live-ukraine-updates-safe-corridors-mostly-lead-to-russia-belarus/ https://gvwire.com/2022/03/07/live-ukraine-updates-safe-corr... - [3] https://twitter.com/AS7404542949/status/1500840315330174977 https://twitter.com/AS7404542949/status/1500840315330174977 - [4] https://www.indiatoday.in/world/russia-ukraine-war/video/russia-targets-residential-buildings-kharkiv-ukraine-visuals-1921589-2022-03-07 https://www.indiatoday.in/world/russia-ukraine-war/video/rus... - [5] https://www.euronews.com/2022/03/02/russian-bomb-hit-a-residential-building https://www.euronews.com/2022/03/02/russian-bomb-hit-a-resid... - [6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBkxV8Sch5U https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBkxV8Sch5U