Used stamps exchanges.

Je ne peux pas m’empêcher d’avoir des pensées pour nos amis philatélistes Ukrainiens : borakuda ,
natika1891 … et peut être d’autres. J’espère qu’ils passeront eux, leur famille et leurs amis, cette épreuve sans dommage.
Cette agression Russe menée par un leader fasciste ressemble fort à l’envahissement de la Pologne par Hitler, il y a cela plus de 80 ans. Je ne pense pas que tous les russes partagent cette action. J’ai eu la chance d’aller visiter Moscou et St Petersbourg il y a quelques années et j’y ai fait de belles rencontres d’amitié et de partage. Je ne pense pas que ces gens soutiennent cette folie meurtrière.
Concernant le club, j’aurais du mal, désormais, à envoyer une lettre en Russie ou Belarus. De même, je ne sais pas encore comment je réagirais si je reçois une lettre de ces mêmes pays.
Je suis triste.

Dear colleagues, please do not be afraid to send your letters to Ukraine. The postal service in the territory that is not occupied by russia works well. The territories occupied by russia are becoming smaller and smaller, Ukrainians thank you for your help.

Roman - all good wishes sending your way! stay strong

Good evening, my friends! For the first time in a very long time I can write a few words here. My family and I are alive. We are in Ukraine.

Dear friend! You know about the humanitarian situation in my country as a result of the Russian invasion. The school in Lviv, where my children study, now has a shelter for elderly people who have lost their homes in the eastern regions of Ukraine. That's why I have to ask you for financial help. Not for myself ... For those people who cannot exist without such help .... Please ... I will use this money to buy food and clothes that I can donate to the shelter. I am an honest person.
Roman Skabara
PayPal
borakuda1974@gmail.com
Nickname: BorakudaLviv

Unnecessary tragedy, I worry how big it could get
this man is trying to start world war 3

I am not sure, if I want to join this discussion.
I am only sad :(

En lisant ce que Natalia a écrit, je me pose la question de savoir si le peuple russe trouve humainement normal d'envahir , de bombarder un pays voisin,de quel droit se permettent ils d'en masacrer le peuple , de démolir leur maisons, leurs lieux de travail, de provoquer le déplacement de millier de femmes et enfants. S'il y avait des problèmes en ukraine , c'était aux ukrainiens de les régler. Quand on ne se plait pas quelque part on va ailleurs. Chaque pays à ses problèmes politiques, économiques et sociaux. ...devons nous aller démolir le voisin pour autant? La Russie serait- elle investie du pouvoir tout puissant de s'imposer ?
Le peuple russe vit- il dans le bonheur, l'insouciance, la richesse, sans problèmes ?
Il a alors beaucoup de chance

I feel the same about Natalia. She offered to help many members in this club. The complain about the PM message came from another member from Russia. My comments on personal attacks and decent language are generally applicable.

That is awful, Danubius. Although it is hard for me to stomach Natalia's opinion, I do know her as a very kind person. Maybe, the one good thing of it all is that we as people unite. Especially us Europeans. No more East, West, South or North. Simply Europeans. Part of Russia is in Europe too.

A member has received a PM message that is inappropriate. There are many strong feelings regarding the war but persons should not be attaked and a decent language should be used.
Even if we have verry different opinions we should still respect each other. And keep in mind that in this club you still have something in common.

Thank you for the information, Danubius. Here we suggest the best way to help from distance could be to donate to Red Cross, Unicef or similar organization who now collect funds for Ukraine. Myself I donated to Unicef <3 In Finland already 2 million euros have been donated to Unicef for Ukraine crisis.

A video about the volunteers and Isaccea border crossing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7zPlizwcDk

Emanuel Church In Galati Refugee Aid Center:

https://www.facebook.com/bisericaemanuelgalati/

Red Cross in Romania (with more photos from the brorder crossings with Ukraine):

https://www.facebook.com/crucearosieromana

After they cross the border they are asked about what they need. If they need assistance with transportation or accommodation they are directed to refugees aid centers or volunteers that can assist them.

Some of them are helped by local authorities that have prepared spaces for them to stay like the student hostels, and social apartment buildings. Besides dedicated organisations like the Red Cross, there are also many ngo's, companies, churces and groups of people that have offered to help.

Most of them are in transit and after a few days on the road they just need a place to stay for a night or two. At this point most of the people that are cossing have some plan to where to go. They have family or friends somewhere in europe. This is the situation for now. If the war continues, more people are aspected including people with no plans of what to do next. Then things will become more complicated as more help will be needed.

One of those centers for refugees is my local church. They have prepared in a hurry some spaces where refugees can stay, receive meals and are assisted with whatever they need. 20-30 persons can stay here at one time for now and a few stay at local families that have offered to help in this way. They have organised groups of volunteers for different tasks.

I contribuite to this cause and I have also volunteered yesterday for the transportation group to give rides when needed. I haven't yet done this but as I write this, two of my friends are on their way to pick up a family of 6.

You can contribuite to this center or to the Red Cross in Romania that is present in most border crossings. I'm sure that there are more pressing needs where help is needed. Those are just some options where you can help.

Is there anything we can do to help the people where you live, Danubius? War brings out the worst and the best in us humans. I really hope that the war does not spread to the rest of Europe. And I equally hope that no nuclear arms will be employed. It is so sad to see that we have not learned our lessons from the two previous world wars. How many of us can visit a relative on one of the many war cemeteries dotted all over Europe? I can.

War is a human tragedy. Many are now running away from war. I live in Romania, 50 km away from a border crossing with Ukraine. It's heartbraking to see so many families with kids that are running away from war. There are many women with kids because men are not allowed to leave the country. Their family/friends bring them to the border and they cross it on foot.
Some of them are staying in my city to rest in one of the centers organised for them before continuing their journey to other family members or friends across europe. I can't imagine how it would be to run away from war or even worst to still be there in the middle of it.

Scary and hopelessness ahead alone

my thoughts go out to all the innocent victims on both sides. Citizens have not asked for these abuses.

Russian government brainwashing at its finest!

1. Why do you turn this place of philatelic communication into a political platform?
2. We are all from different countries. All of us have different information about the events in Ukraine. To change anyone's mind here is a useless exercise.
3. Since 2014 the fascist regime of Ukrainian nationalists has been shelling the citizens of the DNR and LNR. This genocide has been going on not for three days, but for eight whole years! Every day. Every day women and children died there. People were burned alive in Odessa, look this film in English "Burnt Alive in Odessa": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu2tXG2Yo-g
And where were the European countries with their European values all this 8 years? They were only encouraging the Ukrainian fascists with their attitudes. And I have friends who are philatelists in LNR and DNR, I corresponded with them all the time. And I know about atrocities of the Ukrainian punishers not from newspapers.
4. I shall not write anything else here. It's useless because everyone will have his own opinion anyway.

Have the same thoughts as 'MadFellow'. Difficult and sad times.
We have to be careful looking at our (Bela)Russian clubmembers. Not all Russians support wars.
They live in a country with no free access to media, a lot of fake news with a very repressive dictator etc.

Our support and prays for Roman and our Ucranian friends. Also for the Russian friends in club sharing our common feeling.