Slavko Polyatynchuk, Coordinator of Active Community All-Ukrainian Initiative Coordinator in Kamyanets-Podilskyi tells of the situation in the city and on how the locals assist IDPs and our militaries. 

The bloody war of russia against Ukraine rages on. The invaders destroy infrastructure and launch air strikes against municipal facilities and residential buildings in cities and villages. 

Shellings of residential buildings and peaceful civilians forces people to spend whole days, sometimes, weeks hiding in shelters and bunkers without food, water, heat or communication. The aggressor prevents evacuation of residents; Russian militaries open fire on civilians and children trying to save their lives. Attempts to send humanitarian aid - medicines, foodstuffs - to occupied territories are stalled by russian invaders who leave no possibility of assisting communities.

Cities in the west of Ukraine are calmer and safer than the ones in the midst of active military actions. Kamyanets-Podilskyi, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, is the destination for both those who plans to stay here for some uncertain time and those in need of respite before continuing to the border. Every day more and more people come to the Khmelnytskyi Oblast. Because of this, possibilities of developing the simplest housing for the displaced person are explored and potential spots for such developments are scouted. 

‘Moreover, it has been planned to set up in the nearest future a tent campsite to have additional accommodation if and when needed’, Khmelnytskyi Oblast Military Administration Head Serghiy Hamaliy says. 

Despite air raid alerts wailing in Kamyanetsk-Podilskiy several times a day, it is still calm in the city. Law enforcement, military and territorial defence personnel work relentlessly. The emergency operations centre is on 24/7. Besides them, volunteers work around the clock to help with accommodation of IDPs and operate cloth, foodstuff and medicines collection stations for the military and IDPs. Concerned locals work in volunteer centres weaving camo nets and accepting humanitarian aid, which will be later distributed, depending on needs, both at the local level and between various cities of Ukraine that have suffered from russia’s war against Ukraine. 

Children make a lot of those who had to leave their homes and flee the war. They also need support, attention and psychological counselling. In Kamyanets-Podilsky, the role of counsellors for children refugees is left to Labrador dogs. Little residents of Kamyanets have joined the local government and volunteers-organised effort to meet star guests. The ‘star troopers’ descended on the city specifically to soothe the pain and support the smallest members of IDP families.

Slavko Polyatynchuk, Coordinator of Active Community All-Ukrainian Initiative Coordinator in Kamyanets-Podilskyi tells of the situation in the city and on how the locals assist IDPs and our militaries. 

‘There are no russian invasion forces in our region. No shellings, just sirens going off thre to four times a day. The infrastructure operates as normal’, says Slavko.

In his words, the city currently hosts almost 15 thousand IDPs forced out of their homes by the russian aggression.

‘The folks are patriotically minded and motivated to fight back the invaders. There has been a quantum leap in popularity of the Ukrainian language, which is quite nice. Everyone is contributing. The territorial defence force is sufficiently equipped and ready to defend the city, the personnel strength is three times higher than the needed number. Volunteers collect humanitarian aid and medicines, make camo nets, raise targeted financial aids, operate IDP admittance and accommodation centres. The city residents work their best to offer their homes to IDPs,’ Active Community AUI Coordinator adds. 

To the question ‘What would you say to russian military should you meet them?’, Slavko responds: 

‘Go home lads. Nurture some critical thinking and put your own country in good order!.’

About us: Active Community Initiative was launched by Respublika Institute activists after the Euromaidan (2014 ) to activate the Ukrainians and engage them in the decisions-making process. Our mission by 2025 is to activate and engage on a systemic basis at least 1% nationals in the process of decisions-making and reform advancement in Ukraine for the benefit of Ukrainian communities. To date we are active in 30 communities in Ukraine.

Author: Tetyana Kavunenko, Head of Press Service, Respublika Institute, AUCSO and Active Community AUI.