UKRAINE: They will fight... but so can we!

Today will be remembered as a dark day in the history of Europe, and Ukraine. It's the day that Russia, unprovoked, launched a mass scale invasion on the peaceful, Western-leaning state. War in Europe... something that should have stayed in the Second World War era! Mr Vladimir Putin is losing popularity in the West by the truckload. He is being compared to Hitler. But, these are just words. Words can affect, sure. However, what Ukraine needs right now is action. 

Protest organised on 24 Feb outside the Russian Embassy in Helsinki, in support of Ukraine

Praying and supporting Ukraine through Facebook and Twitter is nice, but it won't stop this injustice. The bodies pile up every moment that Russia is allowed to bomb cities in Ukraine. They aim at hospitals, at apartment buildings, military compounds, airfields. A kindergarten was shelled a few days ago, in a false flag operation, with small children nearby. Nothing will stop Russia, and Vladimir Putin, to achieve this insane goal of absorbing independent Ukraine back into the ''Russian fold''. 

A building that was hit by a Russian missile in the town of Chuguiv, in eastern Ukraine on 24 February 

This invasion is abhorrent! Even that is not a strong enough word. What can we do to support Ukrainian people now?

• We can keep sharing Twitter and Facebook posts that are in support for Ukraine, but we need to pay attention to disinformation and fake media. Russian propaganda should not be promoted. Russia is known to spread misinformation on a grand scale. Especially, in these times when the Kremlin is trying to get the Russian people on the President's side by spreading false information about ''freeing the Russian speaking Ukrainians from the awful Kyiv regime/Ukrainian Nazi. 
• We can boycott Russian products, Russian gas, and anything else that will fund the Russian war criminals regime. Just say no! 
• Donate directly to various charities that will buy supplies and give funds to the Ukrainian army and provide support for war-torn families and survivors of conflict. 
• Write to your local parliamentarian and demand action for Ukraine. Europe needs to stand strong and firm. But most importantly, we must be united. Sanctions are good, but we need very tough sanctions, so tough that it will choke the Russian economy and make Russia think twice about spilling more Ukrainian blood, or starting this kind of invasion in other peaceful countries. 
• Be part of a demonstration, or organise your own protest. Brave people in Russia are standing by the thousands in squares all over the country to show their disapproval at their leader's choice. In other countries, there are protests all over for Ukrainian support. Go and demonstrate outside a Russian embassy and show that we will not accept this in the West. (But, please follow all rules and requirements according to country and region.)
• Document, debunk and verify. If you are OSINT inclined, now it's a good time to use those skills and start to share and archive credible sourced information that can be analysed later on. It also helps to share as much verified, true material to spread the actual situation as it unfolds. 

Ukrainian port of Ochakov, in Mykolaiv Oblast, after Russian air strikes 

The world feels very broken right now, and our security is questions. We are not helpless, even if we don't have weapons or are present in Ukraine to fight, we can do something. Each small action helps to form a bigger stance. Slava Ukraini!