As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine intensifies, many innocent people are caught in the conflict. Among them:
1) Ukrainian civilians, especially families with children and the elderly. Many simply do not have the economic means to escape to the West, so they just await their unfortunate fate.
2) Ukrainian refugees, reaching almost 2 million and increasing each day. All face an uncertain future.
3) Hospital patients too sick or fragile to be moved. Many will die without proper care, surgery and/or medication. Many family members will choose to remain, refusing to abandon their loved ones.
4) Hospital staff. Doctors, nurses and health care volunteers dedicated to their profession. Brave souls indeed.
5) Foreign nationals, including retirees, business owners and exchange students. Several countries, like China, have sent aircraft to remove their citizens from the war zone. Other countries’ nationals may not be so lucky.
6) Russian athletes. In soccer, Russia has been banned from FIFA and UEFA. Tennis players, ice skaters and alpine skiers are being shunned or even banned from international competition. Winter Paralympic athletes in Beijing may soon suffer the same fate. Imagine training for four years for the Olympics only to forfeit your opportunity to compete not due to your own actions, but because of those of your national leader.
I am so thankful to be living here in the safety of the United States of America.