Rescue party to save people of Mariupol

My name is Vladimir Solovey. I was born in the city of Mariupol. If you follow the news, you know it as the city 90% destroyed and its people dying in ruins under the siege conducted by the forces of the Russian Federation and self-proclaimed Donetsk republic.

For over a month now, 300,000 people of Mariupol are trying to escape the shelling, hunger, dehydration and freezing temperatures. Those with cars were finally allowed to leave by the besieging forcesa, about 2,500 a day. The families without personal transportation have little hope of getting out by bus, since they are being turned around at every attempt. They stay and die. Of those that do get out, they get stuck at the surrounding villages with little help available to them in the occupied territories around the city.

My classmate, Michael Mazur, is trying to obtain an old minivan and try to get as many people out of Mariupol and surrounding areas as possible. Michael has already made a trip in his car there and brought his mother-in-law and a family of our classmate out of Mariupol to Ukrainian territory. It was a four day round trip with all the delays at the block posts. Despite all the dangers of the trip, he was only able to get four people out.

We could get a dozen or more people out at a time. Since each trip is lethally dangerous, it seems a logical thing to do. There is no way we can help tens of thousands of people, but even if we get just a hundred out... it wouldn't make things ok, it wouldn't set anything right, but it would be a right thing to do.

I am trying to fund that vehicle, gas money and some essentials like water and food. The amount I am looking to raise is $5000, with me matching dollar for dollar.

Neither Michael nor myself belong to any charity organization. While I am sure the Red Cross and the like are doing a fine job on the ground with the refugees who have already escaped Mariupol, there are not enough drivers out there to get the people left behind to the point where they can receive help. We can wait for a miracle or try to skip the red tape and help them out.

I am not sure whether tax write off is applicable, although I will be writing receipts for all the money donated. Michael will keep making runs to either Mariupol or Berdyansk until the vehicle or himself cannot go any further. If the vehicle still runs, it will be donated to other volunteers.