Solidarity is the way to survive. A few stories from the occupied South of Ukraine

Mariupol

Over 3000 new graves seen by Alexandra Dalsbaek at the beginning of summer in Mariupol, almost razed to the ground... But even in such a post-apocalyptic reality with North Korean social control, popular resistance and self-organization are possible!

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Submitted by Thunderbird on July 24, 2022

In this Russian-controlled parts of the Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, is barely glimmering, and the weakest and most disadvantaged ones cannot survive on their own. It's under such conditions that mutual aid and solidarity from theoretical constructs become a matter of life or death and can give rise to new relations in society. It seems that this is exactly what the occupying authorities are afraid of when they seek to suppress even the most peaceful horizontal efforts.

For example, the town of Tokmak in the south of Zaporozhye region was captured by them in the first days of the invasion. For volunteering and evacuation people can be sent to a detention center, the stores have high prices with goods from Russia or Crimea, while pharmacies don't work at all. At the very beginning, the residents organized pro-Ukrainian rallies. After the next one, the Russians walked over the deputies who were at these rallies, took them out with packages on their heads, and beat someone. There were many humanitarian volunteers, they were also detained, forced to cooperate, otherwise they were given a day to leave - otherwise, they say, would not give life them.

Humanitarian aid from Ukraine is not allowed into the town. Basically, individual volunteers deliver food and medicines at their own peril and risk. The invaders, according to locals, take the volunteers to isolation wards, useforce and electric shock to them.

Pharmacies don't work, because none of them agreed to cooperate with the occupiers and to import their medicines. Doctors also basically all left, a small number of staff remained. Getting proper medical care in the occupied part of Zaporozhye region is almost impossible. Someone goes to the doctors in neighboring Melitopol or tries to reach the Ukrainian-controlled part. In the second case, people need to apply to the commandant of Tokmak for permission to go to the Zaporozhye hospital. Finding a carrier across the front line is a problem too. If you are a carrier, it's better to keep silent about it: the occupiers hate people who leave, as they allegedly came to "save" them.

The invaders tried to open one kindergarten, but the staff refused to go to work. Schools in Tokmak ended the school year in advance so that the children would not have to finish their studies under the Putler's administration.

collective rebuilding of our neighbourhoods

In addition, see our last week historical article "Barricades and buckshot in Shebelinka" concerning the overthrow of the tsarist military administration for several days by the East Ukrainian peasants at the end of the spring in 1829.

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