A letter from Ukrainian artists to world artists!

 

On Thursday, February 24th the Russian Federation declared war on Ukraine and attacked our country. As we write this letter, the army of the country-aggressor kills our children, bombs cities and civilians, and already turned more than 1,700,000 Ukrainians into refugees. In an attempt to further occupy our lands, Russia at the same time uses aggressive propaganda to justify its war crimes. Russian citizens are consistently being lied to about what is really happening in Ukraine.

 

We believe that not all Russian citizens are fans of Putin’s regime and not all of them justify this war. We know that plenty of Russians feel scared to use their voices and speak up against Putin’s regime. Many believe it is none of their business. Yet, there are also many who believe in the righteousness of Putin and his propaganda.

 

So, we plead with you — writers and visual content creators that have big audiences of readers and followers in Russia. To them, your opinion and your words matter. Your stand on the war in Ukraine matters. Please, stand by us as we fight for our values, our democracy, and our freedom. For the right to be Ukrainians and live in Ukraine. Your powerful voices can influence these Russian readers and followers. To encourage them to be brave, connect with their values, and take a stand on ending this ruthless war.

 

Please, take to your platforms and address your Russian and Ukrainian audiences. The first ones need your encouragement to believe in the power of their voices against Putin’s regime. The second ones are in desperate need of support and kindness.

 

We encourage the international community of fans of science fiction&fantasy, writers, artists, editors to boycott the Russian book market until the war in Ukraine ends and the country is free from Russian occupation. Until Putin’s regime is condemned as criminal and Putin and his closest allies are punished. As Ukrainians, we are working on this to happen day and night but there are bureaucratic procedures that make the process so much slower in critical times where every second counts and can save Ukrainian lives. 

 

Here are ways in which you can help our country:

 

1. Please, reroute the funds received from Russia to either of the Ukrainian charity foundations that take care of refugees and restore what was ruined by Russia:

       https://eu-ua.com/

      https://donate.redcrossredcrescent.org/ua/donate/~my-donation?_cv=1 

https://ua-aid-centers.com/#features 

https://tabletochki.org/

https://mirco.com.ua/ 

 

The National Bank of Ukraine has opened an account for humanitarian aid to Ukrainians affected by Russian aggression. The account will be used to credit charitable assistance from Ukraine and abroad. The Ministry of Social Policy will use the funds raised to provide support to the citizens of Ukraine who suffer the most from the war. 

See below.

       

2. If possible, terminate contracts and collaborations with Russian publishers. Do not let them use the money they earn on publishing your work to fund the war in Ukraine.

 

3. Publicly denounce any further collaboration with Russia until it stops its aggression.

 

The following writers have already supported us by announcing a complete refusal to cooperate with the Russian Federation: Stephen King, Neil Geiman, Joe Abercrombie, Rebecca Kuang, Michał Cetnarowski, John Crowley, Jakub Ćwiek, Piotr Gociek, Piotr Górski, Jarosław Grzędowicz, Marcin A. Guzek, Anna Kańtoch, Marta Kładź-Kocot, Tomasz Kołodziejczak, Jacek Komuda, Rafał Kosik, Maja Lidia Kossakowska, Marta Barbara Krajewska, Paweł Majka,Tomasz Niziński, Łukasz Orbitowski, Michał Protasiuk, Adam Przechrzta, Marcin Podlewski, Radek Rak, Magdalena Salik, Arkady Saulski, Wit Szostak, Robert M. Wegner, Cezary Zbierzchowski, Wojciech Zembaty. 

 

It is of paramount importance for these actions to be made public. This will allow your readers to learn about your stand on the war in Ukraine and help those content creators who are still hesitant about condemning Russia’s aggression to take a stand, too. 

 

It goes without saying that either of these actions is an act coming out of free will. We are grateful for any support. We are sure that the war that currently unfolds in the middle of Europe is not only Ukraine’s war. This is the war aimed at undermining and destroying the values of free civilizations. In times of peace, we guard these values via our novels, art, songs. Alas, this is not enough in times of war. 

 

If you are not sure you have enough information to make an informed decision on taking a stand on what is currently happening in Ukraine, please see these resources.

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/ 

https://kyivindependent.com/ 

https://t.me/ukraine4world 

 

If you have any questions, we are willing to provide you with answers. There can be delays in answering as many of us are often hiding in shelters from active bombing. Others rely on very unstable internet and phone connections while keeping in touch in these days of the war. There can be delays in responses, we apologize in advance.

 

Also, it is important to note that neither of us, the authors of this letter need any urgent help. It is our country that is in a state of a humanitarian crisis, desperately seeking support and allies. 

 

When taking to your platforms and speaking about Ukraine and war in our country, please use these tags.

 

#SFaccessdenied

#StopBusinessInrussia

#StopFundTheWar

#StandWithUkraine

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. Thank you for your support.

 

 

Volodymyr Arenev, writer

Olena  Hlushchenko, social activist

Sergij Legeza, translator

Alisa Lindeman, writer, screenwriter

Myhajlo Nazarenko, literary critic

Olena Odynoka, Head of International Cooperation Department, Ukrainian Book Institute

Daria Piskozub, writer

Anatolij Pityk, translator

Kateryna Pityk, translator

Marija Shahury, translator

Bohdan Stasiuk, translator

Svitlana Taratorina, writer

Ksenia Tomasheva, writer, co-founder of LITavytsia

Alona Silina, culture manager

Oksana Pronko, Fantasy & SF fanzine 'Svit Fentezi' (World of Fantasy), Editor, Reviewer, Book Blogger

Olha Cheryba, Blogger

Andrii Novikov, Writer

Kateryna Pekur, Writer

Olha Tkach    , writer

Nata Hrytsenko, translator

Iryna Hrabovska, Writer

Ules Skela, writer

Daria Kononenko, writer

Vera Balatska, writer and teacher

Maria Panfiorova, writer, editor 

Usmanova Olexandra, reader

Pavlo Derevianko, writer

Mia Marchenko, writer, translator

Yulia Syromolot, translator, writer

Borys Sydiuk, producer, translator, nominated vice-chair of ESFS (2004-2006)

Katya Natalenko, Editor

Darya Grebelnyk , writer & founder of arkush.net (ukrainian epub platform)

Andriy Baglay, programmer, co-founder of arkush.net (ukrainian epub platform)

Nata Yureva ,writer

Andrij Ghorbunov, writer

Nataliia Matolinets, Writer

Iia Novytska, Editor of fanzine Das ist fantastisch!

Hanna Lytvynenko, Translator

Diana Semak, marketer, publishing house "NK-Bogdan"

Iryna Pasko , Philologist, writer

Maria Galina , writer, translator

Kondratenko Nataliia, writer

Katarina ,Writer

Andriy Yurkiv , Software engineer

Anastasia Trofymenko,    literary critic

Anhelina Drachenko ,Student, illustrator

Ivan Sirchenko,  book blogger

Viktor Hundiak, Sculptor

Serhiy Krykun , Artist, translator

Onim Alek , operator

Olexandr Ihnatenko, writer

Shvets Viktoria, Teacher

Sofiia Rudenko, Bookblogger

Ksenija Sokulska , translator

Pavlo Cherepiuk ,writer

Ilchuk Lyudmila, copywriter

Maxym Lytvynenko, Writer

Denys Solomonyuk, engineer, PhD, writer

Skriplyonok Kateryna, Writer

Olha Melnychuk , Student

Anastasiia Posukhova (Kvitkova),student, translator, tutor

Oksana Skyhar, Student

Olga Migel, Writer

Kateryna Yakobets , student

Yuriy Boyko , Writer

Natalia Lutsyshyn , Software engineer 

Vasyl Fedorii, Reader

Illia Prokopenko, Journalist, proofreader, reader

Dara Korniy, writer

Ianina Lymar, Head of scientific and technical activities group of scientific research and technical development deparment of V.Shimanjvsky Ukrainian institute of Steel construction

Victor Voitenko, Artist

Tanya Kondratiuk, Teacher

Maryna Dubyna, Editor-in-Chief, Boryviter publishing; literary translator

Maria Pukhliy. translator

Vus Nataliia, Managing editor, reader

Olena Sheremet, Translator

Andriychuk Volodymyr, writer

Olexiy Myhailiuk, Teacher

Oleksandra Stepanishcheva , Freelance Copywriter 

Iryna Bilyk, Student

Vitaliy Genyk, Writer

Dasha Luneva, editor

Oleh Silin, writer

Valeriya Malahova, writer, translator

Svitlana Patra, Writer, blogger.

Kateryna Lysytska, bookseller

Lusutska Ludmila, manager

ALINA ZAVHORODNIA, QA engineer 

Sokol Iryna, Arist 

Iryna and Taras Fonrud , writers

Larysa Dundiy , Writer

Olena Krasnoselska, writer

Larisa Illyuk, writer

Daniel Woolf, teacher

Elizabeth Khoptynska , Student 

Oleg Korniichuk, writer

Viktoria Yakowchuk, Student

Solomia Bzhezinska , Psychologist 

Olena Krasnoselska, writer

 

 

= = = 

The National Bank of Ukraine has opened an account for humanitarian aid to Ukrainians affected by Russian aggression. The account will be used to credit charitable assistance from Ukraine and abroad. The Ministry of Social Policy will use the funds raised to provide support to the citizens of Ukraine who suffer the most from the war.

 

The National Bank`s of Ukraine Accounts:

 Multicurrency UA823000010000032302338301027 

EUR account: BENEFICIARY: Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine

BENEFICIARY BIC: NBUAUAUXXXX IBAN DE85500000000050002137 

PURPOSE OF PAYMENT: for crediting account 32302338301027

BENEFICIARY BANK NAME: DEUTSCHE BUNDESBANK, Frankfurt

BENEFICIARY BANK BIC: MARKDEFF

BENEFICIARY BANK ADDRESS: Wilhelm-Epstein-Strasse 14, 60431 Frankfurt Am Main, Germany

 

USD account: BENEFICIARY: Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine

BENEFICIARY BIC: NBUA UA UX

BENEFICIARY ADDRESS: 9 Instytutska St, Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine

ACCOUNT NUMBER: 400807238

BENEFICIARY BANK NAME: JP MORGAN CHASE BANK, New York

BENEFICIARY BANK BIC: CHASUS33

ABA 0210 0002 1

BENEFICIARY BANK ADDRESS: 383 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017, USA

PURPOSE OF PAYMENT: for crediting account 32302338301027

 

GBP account: BENEFICIARY/RECIPIENT NAME: Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine

SORT CODE: 60-92-42

ACCOUNT NUMBER: 0080033041

GB52CHAS60924280033041

REFERENCE FOR CREDITING ACCOUNT: 32302338301027

BENEFICIARY BIC: NBUA UA UX

BENEFICIARY ADDRESS: 9 Instytutska St, Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine

BENEFICIARY BANK NAME: JP MORGAN CHASE BANK NA, London

BENEFICIARY BANK BIC: CHASGB2L

BENEFICIARY BANK ADDRESS: 125 London Wall, London EC2Y 5AJ, UK

 

JPY account: BENEFICIARY: Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine

BENEFICIARY BIC: NBUA UA UX

BENEFICIARY ADDRESS: 9 Instytutska St, Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine

ACCOUNT NUMBER: 653-0430048

BENEFICIARY BANK NAME: MUFG BANK LTD, Tokyo

BENEFICIARY BANK BIC: BOTK JP JT

BENEFICIARY BANK ADDRESS: 1-2-3, Nihombashi HONGOKU-CHO, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 1003 -0021 Japan

PURPOSE OF PAYMENT: for crediting account 32302338301027