I am Alex Biryukov, a professor of international law at the National University of Kyiv, Ukraine. With my daughter, Margarita, who is a humanitarian land mine action policy expert, we will speak to the Columbia Basin Badger Club in a virtual forum from our apartment in Kyiv at noon, Sept. 12.
The forum provides me with another opportunity for us as Ukrainians to express our enduring gratitude to Americans, who from the first moment of this war remain the biggest supporters in this nation’s fight for democratic values and our continued existence as a nation.
I believe that without your support, Ukraine would not exist.
In April last year, I spoke to the Badger Club at the invitation of C. Mark Smith, chairman of the club’s program committee, whom I met 28 years ago in Birmingham, Ala. Mark was responsible for Birmingham’s sister city relationship with Krasnodon in Luhansk Province, now temporarily occupied by Russia.
We will provide you with an update on what has happened since last year in this war that has now gone on for 2 1/2 years. Our family has remained in Kyiv since that first moment of Russian military invasion.
There is still a curfew in Ukraine, and every day and night air raid sirens announce incoming Russian missile and drone attacks. We try to live, work and help our armed forces to stop this invasion.
Margarita will talk about her work for an international organization removing land mines and providing humanitarian aid to our civilian population. We will be happy to try to answer your questions.
Russia’s aggression is not only a war against the largest independent state in Europe, it also has all of the features of state terrorism directed by the leadership of Russia.
They have destroyed half of all the energy facilities in Ukraine, more than 500 churches, hundreds of schools, universities and medical facilities. They continue every day and night.
We are thankful to America and the European Union in our fight against this violation of international law and order.
You can register for this event, which will include a Q&A session, at columbiabasinbadgers.com to receive a confirmation and links to join the Zoom forum and a half-hour “Table Talk” open-mic session afterward.
Cost is $5 for nonmembers, while club members can join for free.
Alex Biryukov teaches private international law at the Institute of International Relations at the National University of Kyiv. Margarita Biryukova works in the mine action sector in Ukraine and has worked for the International Criminal Court, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the National Democratic Institute.
