By Niranjana Swami
On behalf of the devotees in Ukraine, I would like to express my deep gratitude for the outpouring of support already shown from our worldwide Vaisnava community within the last two days. The response has been overwhelming.
The situation remains volatile and fluid. Each day more devotees are submitting requests for places to take refuge. Each day more facilities are opening up. Repairs on the retreat center have already begun. Most of those who have taken refuge there are providing all the labor required to upgrade the facilities to better accommodate the influx of refugees.
Please continue to check the campaign website for updates. As they come in they will be posted there promptly.
https://sites.google.com/a/niranjanaswami.org/ukrainian-vaisnava-refugee-fund/updated-information
Hare Krsna
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July 17, 2014
Abhinanda dasa has provided a significant update to the number of facilities which have manifested through this campaign.
1) Persons who have offered to shelter refugees
Ukraine – 19
Russia – 11
Crimea – 3
Belarus-3
India – 1
Total: 37 places
2) Number of devotees that can be accommodated
Ukraine – 27
Russia – 18 people
Crimea – 9 people
Belarus-6 people
India – 2 people
Total: 62 people.
3) The number of people still requiring facilities (to date), including family members
Married couples with children – 2
Couples without children – 3
Single Male – 1
Single woman with child – 1
Single women -2
July 16, 2014
Antakela dasa, the temple president of the Donetsk temple, reported that he, along with a few brahmacaris, decided it’s time to leave Donetsk. Taking advantage of a temporary lull in the fighting, they will be driving, taking the southern route to Mariupul where they hope to find less obstacles along the road than if they were to go in any other direction.
A few devotees in the temple, not wishing to leave, will remain to take care of the temple gardens and Tulasi devi, to host any guests who might come on Sunday (last week there were only a handful of guests as compared to the hundreds which usually attend) and to maintain a minimum standard of worship of the small Deities Who will remain on the altar.
July 16, 2014
Abhinanda dasa had the following to report:
1) As of July 14, 2014, seventeen devotees have offered facilities for refugees throughout Ukraine through the “Ukrainian Vaisnava Refugee” campaign.
2) Not including the Magdalinivka retreat center (which is currently hosting thirty-three devotees), thirty-seven devotees have been hosted by families, although some of those are living austerely in tents in Crimea and will be unable to remain when the seasons change.
3) Currently six devotees are waiting for accommodations to become available.
4) This report does not include the number of devotees who already fled, having established their own connections either in Russia or in the Western parts of Ukraine. Statistics for them are still not available yet, but the numbers are definitely in the hundreds.
July 15, 2014
Premarasa dasa, our coordinator at the retreat center, reported that as of today, thirty-three devotees have taken refuge at the retreat center, including six mothers. That figure does not include the children of the six mothers.
These figures also do not include the many devotees who have sought refuge in other facilities which devotees are opening up for Eastern Ukrainian refugees. The information for that report is still being gathered.
July 15, 2014
Our local coordinator in Donetsk, Abhinanda dasa, has informed us today that currently all of the fighting is taking place just outside the city limits. Approximately 60% of the devotees living within the Donetsk city limits aren’t able to leave right now because their elder family members are reluctant to leave. But if the fighting moves into the city, which could happen very soon, then these devotees will be forced to either abandon their relatives or force them to leave too. Many of them will require assistance.
July 14th, 2014
Within the next day or two, we should have some statistics of the number of devotees who have networked through our coordination center so far. However, these numbers will fluctuate from a day to day basis.
There has been some very heavy fighting in Lugansk and Donetsk over the past couple of days. Some devotees are currently in dire need for a means to escape.
Some devotees’ homes have already been completely destroyed (hit by mortar)
Hare Krishna, dear devotees.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and his harinam-sankirtan mission.
As for the events in Ukraina I want just mention that to fly over the Ukraina territory, Russia side of the borders and Baltic sea became risky. On Ukraina territory is presently possible anything as the war is escalating, Russia’s west and south borders are on live-fire alert and Baltic sea is full of military equipment from both west and east sides. Today civil airplain crushed in east Ukraina with 250 people.
It is encouraging to see such a good coordination of devotees in Ukraina’s Yatra. Hope you all get out of there safetly that you may preach many many more years.
Your servant Mahaksa Das