Oleksii Burov (2019) - Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Journey of a Ukrainian OL (continued)
Monday 03rd July 2023
Oleksii Burov (2019) writes: Dear OLs, I am Ukrainian and have some things to share about the latest world events and personal stories. I completed my BA in International Relations and Politics at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in July 2022 with First Class Honours, and I am currently enrolled on an MA from the UEA studying Media, Culture and Society. I wrote in last year’s magazine about my immediate experience of the war that Russia began against Ukraine on February 24th 2022. My family faced uncertainty, loss of security and loss of resources. A lot has changed since my last entry and, unfortunately, not all of it is for the better. Here I will aim to focus on the few instances of good news. However, please know that Ukrainians are still suffering from the war and it very much rages on. I managed to extend my stay in the UK under a generous new scheme from the government, which I am endlessly grateful for. This enabled me to continue my education at the UEA. Special thanks go to the Loretto Lamert Fund and to Loretto as a whole, as your donation greatly aided me in continuing my studies despite the financial struggles my family faced due to the destruction of property and business. During my MA study, I have undertaken several personal and academic projects to the benefit of my country. I helped to organise and hold a film screening for my university peers via a society with a high number of nationals from ‘former Soviet’ republics, including Lithuania, Latvia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and even Russia. I introduced the Winter on Fire documentary on the 2013 Euromaidan protests in Ukraine, by explaining its relevance to the current invasion. I submitted and presented a speech for World Speech Day in May 2023, which is available, with a subsequent interview and discussion, via the following link, starting from timestamp 23:10 to 34:16: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAcxpzMBLjY My speech aimed to raise awareness of the suffering and destruction that Ukrainians continue to endure each day and, as Russian propaganda continues, to encourage the British public to exercise information hygiene when consuming news on this topic. I also took part in a Global Forum discussion, organised jointly by the Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan, and the UEA. As a member of the panel, I spoke about the unforgiving conditions Ukraine faces in its struggle for security guarantees, the need for a firmer stance condemning Russian aggression that goes beyond speeches and sanctions, and once again called for a refined approach when consuming intelligence on the war. Finally, I have started an informational awareness project on my personal Twitter account. I have been consistently reporting on events in Ukraine since the start of the war and have grown my audience on Twitter to over 1,300 followers. I also post nightly updates on Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine. I also use my Twitter circle to fundraise for two of my Ukrainian school peers, who are currently serving in the army. With support from the Twitter community, I helped raise approximately £4,900 to purchase a vehicle and personal protective equipment for my peers. I write this update while on a break from my MA dissertation, and I continue to explore academic literature on Russian propaganda, the historical legacy between Russia and Ukraine and the current war in every spare moment of my time. I strive to complete my MA with distinction and progress into a sector that allows me to research these issues further, and to continue raising awareness of and promoting Ukraine abroad. With kind regards, Oleksii Burov (2019)