KRAKOW, Poland — Every week for the reason that starting of March, Evgeny has packed his automotive with field after field of drugs and pushed from his dwelling close to Krakow to a different Polish metropolis, Rzeszow, close to the border with Ukraine.
Evgeny mentioned he was initially from Russia, however for the final 16 years, Poland has been his dwelling. He lives there together with his spouse and is a Polish citizen. When the Russian invasion of Ukraine started in late February, he mentioned he knew he needed to do one thing.
He mentioned he is aware of of different Russians in Poland who even have spent the final seven weeks, like many of their adopted nation, becoming a member of grass roots efforts to offer housing, logistical assist and different sorts of assist to these fleeing the conflict in neighboring Ukraine.
“For me, it’s simple. It’s not an internal conflict for me,” he mentioned of reconciling his Russian id — and issues for household nonetheless dwelling in Russia — together with his want to assist Ukrainians. “I do not treat it like two opposing sides, as if my family is an enemy of the other side. This is not true,” he added, asking that his final title not be used out of issues for his household’s security.
More than 2.5 million individuals have crossed the border from Ukraine into Poland — most of them ladies and kids — for the reason that Russian invasion started, and their wants are immense.
When information of the Russian invasion broke, Evgeny mentioned he was shocked.
“You have mixed feelings — of feeling angry, embarrassed, and no idea what to do next,” he mentioned. “For five or six days I was completely empty inside.”
But Evgeny mentioned he has an in depth pal in Ukraine, Oleksandr, who he mentioned had saved his life when he was in a foul automotive accident in Ukraine eight years in the past and has develop into like a brother.
“We got to know each other during the worst day of my life. He is a fantastic person, a pure patriot of Ukraine and a good person,” Evgeny mentioned. When he heard the information of the Russian invasion, he mentioned certainly one of his first calls was to Oleksandr to verify he was alive and to see what he wanted, and what Evgeny may do to assist.
Oleksandr is in an space of Ukraine that has remained comparatively secure up to now, and he’s serving to with the conflict effort. Evgeny mentioned he has been in shut contact together with his pal to see what the wants are on the bottom and is working with a community of his contacts to coordinate assist.
Now, his dwelling workplace has develop into a logistics hub, he mentioned, and he has devoted all of his spare time outdoors of labor to serving to Ukrainians. He makes the 3-hour round-trip to Rzeszow at the least as soon as every week.
Evgeny, whose spouse is a pharmacist, mentioned a lot of his consideration has been targeted on getting medicines to Ukrainian refugees in Poland and sending them throughout the border into the nation.
“At least I feel like I can do something,” he mentioned.
Other Russian nationals have additionally joined these efforts. Igor Gerbeev, 34, who had been dwelling in Moscow however moved to Poland in 2020, is amongst them.
“This country became like a dictatorship with no ability to say your own opinion,” he mentioned of Russia. As somebody who spoke out towards the Kremlin on-line, he mentioned the ambiance had grown more and more tough.
“Russia is like a beautiful facade,” he mentioned, however behind it’s a lack of alternative for younger individuals like him and he now not noticed a future for himself there.
Since he got here to Poland and discovered a brand new job with an IT firm, he mentioned he had grown near a neighborhood of Ukrainian buddies who had welcomed him with open arms when he knew nobody in Krakow.
So when the Russian invasion started, he felt he needed to take a stand.
“This is my duty. I have principles and I have vision,” Mr. Gerbeev mentioned.
He mentioned he had welcomed a household of 5 Ukrainians into his dwelling for weeks earlier than they moved on to stick with their relations in Germany. When the household arrived, Mr. Gerbeev mentioned, the mom was nervous when she realized he was Russian. But she quickly warmed up and was extremely grateful.
Mr. Gerbeev, who described himself as only one small a part of a wider assist effort, mentioned he has been impressed by the tireless work of Ukrainians serving to their fellow countrymen, whilst they endure the ravages of conflict.
He mentioned he believes that long run, the conflict will destroy the lives of Russians in addition to Ukrainians, due to punishing sanctions and worldwide isolation of Moscow. Still, he mentioned the vast majority of the individuals he is aware of again dwelling nonetheless assist President Vladimir V. Putin.
“It’s hard to speak with them. To many people in Russia, I am a traitor,” he mentioned, including that that will not cease him from doing all he can to help Ukrainians in want. “It’s my duty as a human.”