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I’m back in Kyiv after briefly travelling to Sweden, the Netherlands, the U.K., Czechia and Poland to satisfy my visa extension obligation, and happy to continue our Peace Coalition’s efforts to help the people of Ukraine. As I had previously praised, the spirit of Ukrainians is wonderful to behold, but the past fortnight has gone beyond even my lofty appreciation.

After a total of four months, I’ve finally experienced some of the hardships of war. Notable firsts this week include a few nights in a bomb shelter, the complete loss of running water, and twice daily power cuts. However, through it all Ukrainians persevere and adapt to a new level of inconvenience with barely a blink.

Rolling blackouts are announced by the hum of gasoline-powered generators, basement bunkers are equipped with WiFi, and the lack of running water is solved with beer and wine. 

But it’s another sad first that brings me to the next post in this series – my visit to Kozarovychi, a village of 2000 souls situated on the banks of the Dnipro River 40 km north of Kyiv. The Peace Coalition has identified Kozarovychi as an ideal town to begin the rebuilding process as soon as possible.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions

Early Saturday morning, four colleagues and I drove to Kozarovychi where we were met by the local village priest. Father Oleg is a jolly fellow who greeted us with a big smile as he reached into a snow bank and came up with a handful of spent AK-47 machine gun shell casings. “Souvenirs of Russian occupation are all over the place”, he said “It will be tough for the Ukrainian people to forget this war.”

During our discussion we were joined by a caravan of video journalists from Armenia, another former satellite nation of the Soviet Union, who arrived to document the destruction caused by Russian occupation. Their goal is to share it with all the former Soviet states hoping to change perceptions of the war among Russian-speaking people outside of Russia. 

With the Armenian crew in tow, we headed to a former factory, once a major employer in town. Kozarovychi was occupied very early in the war and used as a logistics base by Russian forces regrouping after encountering great resistance from Ukrainians. From this hub Russian forces launched devastating attacks upon the nearby towns of Borodyanka, recently made famous by graffiti artist Banksy, and Bucha, the site of a horrific civilian massacre that shocked the world.

During their retreat from Kozarovychi, Russian soldiers ensured the base was totally destroyed. Nobody will be working here anytime soon, which means no income for the townspeople to buy food or pay for heating and water services. Imagine trying to survive winter without these essentials.

No place like home

Next stop was the home of local residents Mykola and his wife Tamara whose house was destroyed when a Russian helicopter crashed into it after being shot by Ukrainian forces. The couple and their dogs now live in a half wood, half brick lean-to shelter built from the remains of their garage. Luckily, they have a makeshift roof over their heads, but they had to trade the wreckage of the Russian helicopter to get it.

Their water comes from an asbestos-lined pipe sticking out of the ground that disgorges a light brown liquid that most of us wouldn’t use to wash our clothes let alone drink or prepare food. The yard is a pile of rubble, charred aircraft parts, and three scrawny dogs that sit in the snow shaking from the cold with no place to stay warm. 

Farm harm, dam it

We then visited a large local farm where Russian shelling leveled all the machinery and set the main buildings on fire. This destroyed 60 tons of fertilizer and seed destined for the upcoming season. The farmer explained he’ll need to rent trucks & tractors in the spring, but was hopeful that 2023 would be a bountiful year so perhaps he could break even. The optimism of farmers is a wonder we should all celebrate and try to emulate.

Our last stop was the Kozarovychi Dam which was intentionally blown up by Ukrainian forces at the start of the war and halted the Russian advance on Kyiv. There’s now water on both sides of the dam for as far as the eye can see. Unfortunately, under that water is the village of Demydiv – 100 homes and farms to which no one will ever return. 

A little less talking 

Visiting these four sites was sobering enough, but there are at least another 200 homes and businesses that are damaged or destroyed in Kozarovychi. The visit provided even more confirmation that the rebuilding process must begin as soon as possible if the people of Ukraine are ever going to recover from this terrible and unjustified war.

That’s why we at the Peace Coalition have decided there’s been enough talking and it’s time to do more walking. We have approval from the village and regional authorities to begin rebuilding Kozarovychi and another village, Andriivaka as soon as possible.

We plan to not only rebuild but reimagine these villages with modern, energy efficient and digitally connected homes and businesses. A new treatment plant providing sparkling water and electrically powered by solar panels and batteries. We have the vision, plan and consent. All we need now is the money.

Kozarovychi and Andriivka are just two of thousands of damaged cities, towns and villages and they all must be rebuilt. Resurrection has to start somewhere, and it warms my heart to think that a friendly priest, a farmer, an employer, some regular folks and a gaggle of freezing cats and dogs will hopefully have new lives to live in 2023. Slava Ukraini!

Everyone around the world now knows of the destruction and damage caused by Russian forces in Ukraine. Ukrainians have fittingly provided a constant stream of war crimes, missile attacks and human rights violations committed by the aggressor, the Russian Federation and its billionaire oligarchs.  

Everything destroyed must be rebuilt and the cost of rebuilding shattered homes and infrastructure will be an immense financial burden that must be borne by someone. Thanks to blatant disregard for international law and human rights shamefully displayed on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Telegram, the case against Russia seems a lock. However, an International Court of Justice ruling could take years or even decades, and Ukraine certainly can’t wait that long for resurrection. To restore Ukraine to some form of pre-war normalcy, the process must begin now, and that means money and lots of it. Indeed, 

For appropriate reparations and rebuilding to be successful there are many moving parts that need to be coordinated. 

Where does the money come from?

Ideally, the ill-gotten gains of the Russian Federation’s super-rich oligarchs can be liquidated and transformed into funding. However, as I noted last time (INSERT PART 3 LINK), this process is complicated and fraught with delays. Fortunately, there are some creative ways which could provide immediate funding while a case for reparations makes its way through the courts.

The first steps have already been taken by the UN recently adopting a resolution calling for Russia to pay reparations for damage inflicted on Ukraine. While this resolution is not binding, it’s a strong rebuke to any aggressor showing that if you invade another sovereign nation, you will be made to pay. 

Social Bonds to the rescue

Former U.S. Ambassador-at-large for War Crimes, David Scheffer has proposed an innovative solution involving private money to support humanitarian efforts through investing in a Social Bond. 

“Social bonds recently became exceptionally important particularly in Europe, to stave off the enormous economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Social bond requires a reputable institution to issue the bond to raise funding for health care, environmental, or humanitarian priorities, and to collateralize the bond either with assets or backed by the guarantee of one or more Category A (AAA, AA, or A) sovereign credit nations. 

The social bond could be structured for maximum immediate impact with a substantial reservoir of funds to invest in large scale housing reconstruction. This would be viewed as a major factor in restoring the nation’s economic stability, habitability and growth, and thus attract sovereign participation in a guaranteed instrument for positive social outcomes.”

A consortium of international investment banks could issue social bonds corresponding to the amount of seized foreign currency reserves of the Russian Federation held in western banks. There is reputed to be $300 billion or more in Russian foreign currency reserves frozen in central banks round the world. So, if a social bond worth $300 billion were issued to support the reconstruction of Ukraine, Western governments holding the frozen Russian currency could guarantee the bond in proportion to the amount of reserves they hold. Canada for example, could guarantee $16 billion worth because it has already frozen $16 billion of Russian reserves.

A Social bond with a 30-year term would give plenty of time for Ukraine to make their case to the ICOJ and win a judgement against the Russian Federation. Once the ICOJ rules in Ukraine’s favour, countries like Canada simply pass the Russian funds to the private investors who provided the much needed immediate cash infusion for the rebuilding of Ukraine.

Seize the day

A long-term social bond would also give countries time to determine how to navigate international law and seize the Russian reserves in advance of an ICOJ ruling. Special legislation like Canadian Senator Ratna Omidvar’s Special Economic Sanctions amendmenthas provided a mechanism to liquidate sanctioned assets of an aggressor. Using Russian money to pay restitution is undoubtedly the preferred solution for western taxpayers feeling the fatigue of footing the bill for the defence of Ukraine. 

No matter how the money gets to Ukraine, it needs to get there soon. 13 million Ukrainians have been displaced and they all want to get home as soon as possible. Without innovate solutions like Ambassador Scheffer’s social bonds, they may never have a home to return to. After all, Ukrainians have been dying in defence of Europe and democracy for over nine months now and the least we can do is think creatively about helping them have a home to return to when the war is over.

The Russian army has just retreated from Kherson, the only regional capital they managed to capture since the February 24th invasion. Sadly and as usual, the Russian army left behind it a trail of death and destruction. They are now entrenched on the south bank of the Dnipro in position to continue to inflict damage from afar. 

The level of destruction in Ukraine is immense and all that’s been destroyed must be rebuilt. Estimates to restore all buildings and infrastructure range from $349 billion to over $1 trillion. Somebody must pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine and it certainly shouldn’t be the Ukrainians, so who will foot the bill?

Who will pay the piper?

The logical funding source for reparations is of course the aggressor, the Russian Federation and its dozens of billionaire oligarchs. I think we can all agree that the state who caused all the damage and destruction must pay, however, I wish it were that simple.

Russia was roundly condemned by the global community when it invaded Ukraine, a sovereign nation that’s been dealing with prolonged aggression from its super-power neighbour since 2014. Invading a sovereign nation is a breach of international law and has led to dozens of countries imposing sanctions on Russia and its oligarchs.

Magnitsky 

Most countries have some form of sanction procedure following the guidelines of the Magnitsky Act in the United States. The Magnitsky Act is the brainchild of American hedge-fund manager, Bill Browder who was one of the earliest western financiers to enter the Russian market and promote investment in Russian businesses. Browder spent ten years in Moscow and discovered wholesale corruption at the highest levels of the country and its largest companies. Not interested in investing in a mafia-like business environment, Browder exposed the corruption and graft in Russia and soon found his fund, Hermitage Capital, charged with tax-evasion. 

Browder was defended by “the smartest Russian lawyer he knew”, Sergei Magnitsky, who was subsequently arrested and died during pre-trial detention in Moscow. Browder’s outrage at the murder of his friend and lawyer manifested itself in a campaign to create a new legislative framework in the United States and allied nations. This legal structure would not only impose sanctions on governments and individuals accused of breaches of international law, but would enable the freezing of their assets be they yachts, mansions and Picassos, or Russian central bank reserves and securities held in banks outside Russia. In 2012 the Magnitskyact was signed into law in the U.S. and Bill Browder went to the top of the FSB’s most-wanted list. He has lived as a Russian fugitive ever since.

Time to make them pay

While the Magnitsky Act is a foundational piece of legislation, when it comes to compensation and reparations, it doesn’t go far enough. Magnitsky allows assets of sanctioned entities to be frozen, but it doesn’t have a mechanism enabling them to be forfeited, auctioned-off and given to the victim, in this case Ukraine. Here is where Canada, home to the largest diaspora off Ukrainians outside Ukraine, stepped up to provide an answer to the limitations of Magnitsky. Canadian Senator Ratna Omidvar proposed a Special Economic Sanctions amendment to Canada’s Magnitysky-type law which provides a mechanism for the Canadian government to forfeit seized assets of sanctioned entities to explicitly compensate victims of illegal aggression.But even the best legislation has its limitations, and this is where my colleagues & I enter the fray. In a conversation with Senator Omidvar just prior to the passing of her amendment, we discussed our work on the guidance note for the Ukrainian government. It became clear that the rapid resolution of civilian restitution claims is directly related to the timely financing of that restitution. Senator Omidvar’s legislation certainly provides the method for western governments to make the aggressor pay reparations. However, it doesn’t provide the means to transfer the money from Canada for example, to Ukraine without violating international laws regarding the sovereign assets of nations. 

It turns out that liquidating assets of Russian oligarchs accused of financing Putin’s regime is fairly easy for any nation armed with a version of Senator Omidvar’s legislation, but rebuilding Ukraine will cost far more than all the proceeds from the oligarchs’ Monets and super yachts combined. So where to find additional funds? The best source for the hundreds of billions necessary is the $350 billion in foreign currency reserves of the Russian Federation held by central banks around the world. 

Money moves

The Senator asked us to consider the challenge of forfeiting assets without violating international laws. We discovered there are some pretty substantial impediments. For example, the obvious way to make Russia pay is for the UN Security Council to award Ukraine reparations. However, as long as Russia and China have a veto, this will never happen. Continued or perpetual freezing of Russian state assets is certainly possible, but that means the funds cannot be used to compensate Ukraine either.

Sovereign wealth is different than personal wealth and it’s intentionally difficult for countries to seize and forfeit another country’s assets – unless you are directly at war with them. This means resolution is in the hands of Ukraine who is at war with the Russian Federation and its oligarch financiers. Ukraine can pursue a case against Russia for war crimes, human rights abuses and the destruction of the country through the International Court of Justice. If successful, Russian sovereign assets are fair game for western nations that abide by international law and the rulings of the ICOJ. However, this could take years or even decades, and Ukraine needs the money now.

There are some interesting legal precedents in the United States and Italy that might provide a quicker solution, but those will require a certain level of dedication and resolve that’s likely lacking in some countries that hold Russian assets. Our team has determined a promising solution may be to involve private finance and investment bankers. People like Bill Browder and his colleagues could provide a financial bridge to Ukraine backed by Russian state assets. This would allow Ukraine time to build a case against the Russian Federation, but that is a topic for another post.  

It’s important for the Ukrainian people and western taxpayers to know there’s research being done and plans being made to help Ukraine renew and rebuild after this terrible war – and to make Russia pay. Ukraine has not been alone while fighting and they won’t be alone when it’s over. The Ukrainian army will be victorious thanks to help from western allies, and we are working hard to ensure that the Ukraine and its proud people will emerge stronger and as a valuable member of the west where it belongs. Slava Ukraini! Heroiam Slava!

War is hell when and wherever it happens, but the deliberate targeting of civilians is a relatively new phenomenon. Don’t get me wrong, people have been brutalized by conquering armies for millennia, but that was generally after their army was defeated on the battlefield, far from civilian homes, land and property.It was called a Gentleman’s War and usually involved fanfare, drums and strict infantry marches across an open field. It was as barbaric as it was orderly, and millions of soldiers died. In World War I, European countries sent an entire generation to die in countryside trenches. But major cities and towns were generally off-limits as gentlemen generals considered it inhumane to target civilian non-combatants.

However, since the start of World War II the game changed, and tragically civilians often become the primary target.

Ain’t no Gentlemen here

War has become a much more personal affair for the populace of warring nations. Carpet bombing of cities across Europe and Japan intentionally targeted civilians in the hopes of sapping the will of people and governments. Reducing cities to ash not only destroyed critical wartime infrastructure like munitions factories and infrastructure, but also destroyed the homes, hospitals and schools necessary to support innocent people.

Those who don’t learn from history are bound to repeat their mistakes

Targeting civilian populations is both barbaric and reprehensible and the perpetrators of such atrocities must be held accountable. The old saying ‘To the victor belong the spoils’, means that winning on the battlefield leads to the wealth and prosperity of the vanquished nation changing hands. However, when civilians, their homes land and property and public infrastructure are destroyed, the spoils are not worth the effort.

Why anyone would want to pulverize a city to dust just to win is beyond me. What did the Assad regime gain from destroying Aleppo? What would Putin achieve by ‘liberating’ the Donbas region of Ukraine after he’s levelled it? This is war without a conscience and without purpose because there is nothing to gain, and no spoils for the victor.

For what it’s worth

Estimates of the cost to rebuild Ukraine range from $350 billion to over $1 trillion, and the victor will eventually pay one way or another.

Blatant disregard for the value of what you’re fighting for indicates that war is no longer about gaining wealth and territory. It’s pure, cold-hearted vindictive murder. For this reason alone, those who target civilian populations must be stopped and prosecuted because it’s a crime against humanity, pure and simple.

As you may recall from my last post, I came to Kyiv to help Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) document their identity, homes, land and property (HLP). Documenting the destruction of civilian homes and public infrastructure is one thing, but collecting compensation for the losses and damage is another. 

On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine hoping to quickly conquer the entire country and install an illegitimate puppet government. Over the next three months we watched Russian soldiers commit war crimes and atrocities while forcing 13 million citizens to safer areas within Ukraine, or flee the country entirely.  

As a Canadian of Ukrainian heritage, I was outraged that the country where my father was born was being destroyed before my eyes, so I decided to do something about it.

A little less talking and a little more doing

Based on the work we at Peer Social had been doing to build a self-attested identity solution for refugees and IDPs, we became linked to HLP specialists like Dr. Jon Unruh of McGill University in Montreal. We released a podcast with Dr. Unruh in November 2021 called Why Decentralization Matters.  In it we discussed digital technology and the transformative impact it can have on HLP compensation & restitution, if done right.

Through Dr. Unruh, I was introduced to an international group of HLP  experts from the Global Protection Cluster representing UN agencies (IOM, UNHCR, OHCCR), and international NGOs like the Norwegian Refugee Council, and New America. These fantastic organisations have been working for years to protect the rights of vulnerable people around the world who’ve been displaced from their homes due to climate change, conflict and war.

Helping me HLPing you

Usually, HLP experts deploy to a country after a war or natural disaster has displaced large populations, and work with refugees and IDPs to document their HLP. They also develop the legal guidelines necessary to process claims for compensation and restitution according to transitional justice precedents like the Pinheiro Principles. Transitional justice is intended to be flexible and temporary, allowing refugees and IDPs to use non-traditional evidence of their identity and occupation of a particular home to establish their right to compensation. However, Ukraine has a slightly different perspective.

Shortly after the war began, the government of Ukraine proposed draft Law 7198 regarding compensation for Damage and Destruction of Certain Categories of Realty Units as a Result of Military Actions, Terrorist Acts, Sabotage Caused by the Military Aggression of the Russian Federation. This law gave every Ukrainian citizen the legal claim of compensation from Russia for any damage or destruction caused by the war.

We convened a sub-group of the Global Protection Cluster focused on Ukraine and examined the law with great interest. Our analysis identified a few problems with Law 7198, most notably very specific evidentiary requirements, and judicial process requiring any damage claims to be processed one at a time.

A shortcut on the long road home

Our group’s experience with HLP restitution in countries like Iraq, Bosnia, and Sri Lanka shows that Law 7198 should be modified to more quickly help the millions of displaced Ukrainians. If the restitution process is applied individually per claim, compensation distribution could take 100 years or more. We’ve seen other nations descend into chaos with internal dysfunction and armed conflict when destitute people are forced to wait an unreasonable length of time.

Considering their heroic efforts to resist Russian aggression, Ukrainians deserve a far better future than anarchy. So our group produced a guidance note suggesting how Law 7198 can be amended to include more flexible mass compensation guidelines established under transitional justice. In early August 2022, with guidance note in hand I jumped on a flight to Warsaw where I was joined by Dr. Unruh. We made our way to Kyiv with a colleague from UN Migration (IOM), Igor Cvetkovski. We then began the long process of speaking with representatives of the Ukrainian government and civil society organisations regarding quicker HLP restitution and compensation. 

Nearly three months later I’m still in Kyiv and we’re making significant progress. 

When this war is over, Ukrainians will quickly return and need homes to live in. If Peer Social can make that process more efficient, it will be our small contribution in recognition of the sacrifices made by the heroic defenders of Ukraine and the victims of Russian aggression. Slava Ukraini! Heroiam Slava!

I’ve been in Kyiv for over two months and still getting asked every day, what are you doing in a war zone? Well, it all began a year ago when Sadaf, a graduate student from the University of British Columbia, submitted her final report from her research internship Trusted Records in a Tapestry Approach.

Sadaf spent the summer researching the use of alternative credentials as evidence of identity and occupation /ownership of a particular home or piece of property. Over 80 million people on this planet have been displaced from their homes, land and property (HLP) with little or no evidence of their occupation or ownership. History shows that most refugees eventually return to their community, however, the likelihood of receiving compensation for a destroyed or damaged home is negligible.

A long road home

It can take decades for refugees or internally displaced people (IDPs) to return home to war affected regions like Syria, Yemen and now Ukraine because they simply don’t have the proper documents. Imagine fleeing as bombs are falling and trying to remember to grab your land title or rental agreement. These desperate people cross into another country often with no identity documents, or even intentionally destroy them so as not be identified by the secret police as they leave their embattled nation.

A solution to this problem was first proposed by Yuliya Panfil and her colleagues at New America, a land rights think-tank based in Washington D.C. In their report, The Credential Highway, they propose using a tapestry of alternative credentials to prove identity and occupation. For example, if you don’t have traditional identity documents, could you submit copies of credit card and utility bills in your name, delivered to a specific address as evidence of your identity and occupation? If you don’t have your land title but you have ten years of pictures of you and family in the same backyard enjoying the shade under the lemon tree as evidence?

Fortunately, the answer is yes, according to an area of law called Transitional Justice. Transitional Justice is a framework of laws and rules that apply to a situation in flux. For example, in the early 1990s at the end of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia, there was no legitimate government left to administer the day to day activities of the nation. International experts jumped in and set up a ‘quick-and-dirty’ legal framework to deal with victim restitution and property rebuilding according to a mass claims process that relaxes normal judicial procedures and evidence requirements.

Justice for all

Transitional Justice makes allowances for missing or incomplete documentation of identity or occupation of property by allowing people to submit whatever evidence they have. Sometimes it could be pictures of the home and family, utility bills and internet search history, or even written and oral testimonies combined with satellite imagery.

The next question is, how can you collect all this information from millions of refugees and displaced people quickly and efficiently? This is very difficult and that is exactly where Sadaf’s report provided a solution. The current best-practice in documenting HLP claims is a glacial process with endless queues of victims sitting down with a handful of volunteers in a refugee camp with pen & paper. 

Who do you trust? 

Furthermore, it’s important to understand that refugees and IDPs generally don’t trust anyone, especially governments. After all, it was their own government or the government of an aggressor nation that destroyed their lives in the first place. Sadaf realized digital technology can provide the solution. However, relying on traditional account-based smartphone apps would not suffice. Not everyone can read or write, and nearly all apps require an email address or credit card number – two things very few refugees have. The displaced need a different kind of technology, and that is where we enter the equation.

My colleagues and I at the Peer Social Foundation have been working on a different approach to digital identity called Self-Attested Identity. The idea is that our identity is not determined by the fact that we have a passport, driver’s license or bank account. Who we are is a combination of different attributes that other people know to be true about us. For example, your neighbour knows who you are and where you live. Or when you order food from your favourite food delivery service, it arrives at the same address every time. 

Refugees and IDPs need a mobile, safe and anonymous way to submit HLP claims to NGOs. They also need a solution that allows alternative forms of evidence from a variety of sources. Your memories combined with a few of photos and a copy of your last utility bill, might be enough to help establish your identity and prove ownership of your home under Transitional Justice.

Supporting refugees and IDPs in the most difficult of circumstances is why I’m proud to be a Canadian in Kyiv in the middle of a war. Once Ukraine is victorious, we will be there to help people reclaim and rebuild their homes and lives. People helping people is the only way forward.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I arrived in Kyiv two months ago. Would there be tanks rolling down the streets and heavily armed soldiers everywhere? Could I buy groceries or get a decent meal in a restaurant? Heck, I wasn’t even sure I could enter Ukraine when I bought my plane ticket to Warsaw.

Imagine my surprise when I checked into my modern and funky, design hotel in the Podil district of Kyiv, the centre of hipster culture and fine dining. Podil is the old historical centre of trade and commerce and features Kontraktovasquare. It’s also the heart of business and education with the Mohyla Academy, one of the leading universities in Ukraine, sitting right next to a a giant ferris-wheel. Restaurants abound and the food is delicious. Everything from traditional Georgian, Tatar and Ukrainian food to burgers, ramen, pizza and even sushi.

Ukraine is Europe

Ukraine is Europe

Kyiv is a thriving European city complete with historical landmarks, cobblestone streets, electric scooter rentals, ride-sharing apps and food delivery couriers ripping around on their bicycles. Sure, there are almost daily air raid sirens, the roads could use a bit of work and some of the buildings need a paint job. However, I’m willing to cut them some slack since there’s a war raging less than 500 km away, but you’d never know it in the heart of Kyiv. 

My time here has been nothing short of astonishing. It’s been an honour and a privilege to share the spirit and resolve of the Ukrainian people to resist tyranny and rebuild their nation as a better and more equal European country. The people I’ve met have been incredibly warm and open as they share stories of grandparents and parents still living in the occupied territories. Everyday they are reminded of the realities of war when they can’t contact their family for hours because the Internet is down, again. Despite this adversity, they still manage to smile and share memes satirising the Russian occupiers and praising the Ukrainian army.

United they stand

Above all, the Ukrainian people are united in their patriotism, the defence of their homeland, and belief that they will prevail against overwhelming odds. It’s almost impossible to get your hands on a Ukrainian flag, and the street vendors do a booming business selling anti-war t-shirts and anything blue and yellow. Street musicians are everywhere and most of them donate all the money they collect to support the armed forces.

All the unbelievable people working 12-hour shifts a day donate part of their meagre earnings to support the soldiers fighting to give Ukraine the chance to win the war and rebuild. Don’t get me wrong, Ukraine has a lot of systemic problems, with corruption at the top of the list. In 2021 they ranked 122nd of 180 countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index. However, the war has actually given the people a chance to change all that. 

The future of Ukraine is in the hands of the armed forces and the young people in the cities. Ukrainian soldiers who until recently were cab drivers, opera singers and IT workers, are overwhelmed by happy citizens in liberated towns and villages across the country who greet them with hugs, tears, bread and even watermelons. Young people in Kyiv, Lviv and Invano-Frankivsk are prouder than ever to be Ukrainian. They are confident they will prevail, and a new Ukraine will rise from the ashes as a stronger, less corrupt and more prosperous European nation. Indeed, if the government doesn’t tackle corruption, the people will elect a new administration who will. That’s real democracy in action.

The Ukrainian people are 100% united in support of their armed forces and the belief they will emerge victorious from this terrible conflict.That is something worth sharing and celebrating. I have always been proud of my Ukrainian heritage and now I truly understand why. Slava Ukraini!  Heroiam Slava!

I’ve now been in Kyiv for over two months and air raid sirens are almost a daily affair. Most last about 30 minutes and are uneventful, causing more of an inconvenience rather than a rush to the shelters. Yesterday however, was different. I awoke to a siren at 6:47 am that lasted over four hours.

Russian missiles were fired into the centre of Kyiv for the first time in a long while, striking the central Shevchenkivs’kyi district where some of the most expensive flats can be found. Moreover, Shevchenkivs’kyi is where the beautiful St. Michael’s monastery and St. Sophia’s cathedrals are located. I filmed a marching band practise there a few weeks ago, and I had lunch at a lovely café there on Sunday.

Don’t mention the war

It’s been easy to forget there’s a war raging in the eastern regions of the country because Kyiv has been calm and ‘normal’ aside from the aforementioned air raid sirens. All that has now changed. The impact of Russian missiles just a 20 minute walk from my hotel has reminded me and all my hotel staff ‘family’, that the risk of a massive attack on Kyiv is soberingly real.

Throughout my time in Kyiv the people I’ve met have been incredibly strong and resilient in their quiet acceptance of war with Russia. But yesterday morning was different, people are now nervous and unsure what to do.  

Homeless and helpless

Valeria lives on the left side of Kyiv but she can’t get home because transit has been halted and the bridges are closed. Her family, official documents and everything she owns is literally just out of reach. Artem lives a block away but ran home to see his girlfriend and buddy. All three will return to the hotel where there’s a basement shelter complete with cinema and laundry rooms. We’re considering moving the booze and DJ equipment downstairs from the rooftop bar just in case we end up in the bomb shelter for several days.

While it is easy to despair when under attack from a faceless enemy firing missiles from the safety of Belorussian airspace, it’s important not to head underground until absolutely necessary. Yes, we discuss preparing the shelter, but we’re not going down quite yet. Because, that’s exactly what Putin wants. He wants all Ukrainians to feel scared. He wants all Ukrainians to hide in their basements cowering in fear, but that is not happening. 

Gimme shelter

The metro stations in Kyiv are prepared to shelter everyone from attacks that may or may not happen, but those already there are singing Ukrainian folks songs and the national anthem. At the hotel we are united in conversation, eating and drinking, but also raising our middle fingers to the sky at any missiles that may arrive. The moment we run scared is the moment Putin wins.

For the Ukrainians war is the reality of daily life, and yesterday’s missile attacks on civilians in ‘safe’ western cities like Kyiv, Lviv and Dnipro is a stark reminder that nobody is safe. So, it’s time to hunker down and celebrate the fact that we are still alive. For the rest of the world, it’s time to double down and support the brave people of Ukraine as they deal with the reality of a murderous psychopath bent upon destruction and genocide. By helping defeat Russia now, Ukraine  will repay the world by protecting Europe from Russia for the rest of time. Slava Ukraini! Heroiam Slava!

I’ve been in Ukraine for two months now and many people have been asking me, what are you doing in Kyiv? Don’t you know there’s a war on? Obviously, I know – you really can’t miss it. However, as a second generation Ukrainian-Canadian, this illegal war has affected me personally. It pains me to see such brutality, especially the effect it’s having on people’s lives. To the 13 million who have fled their homes, it must feel completely hopeless. 

That’s why I’m here – to help hope return for the Ukrainian people as soon as possible, once this vicious and destructive conflict ends.

Homeless and helpless

Russian military doctrine seems to have only one approach: destroy as much as possible, as quickly as possible. Indiscriminate bombing of civilian targets first in Syria, and now Ukraine, have left much of the country uninhabitable and created millions of refugees, plus those left homeless in their own country – Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The destruction of people’s homes, land and property (HLP) has sadly become a focus of humanitarian efforts as more and more people living in larger urban centres become targets for aggressors bent on forcing a swift capitulation.

The pictures and videos we see of the destruction are sadly only the beginning. Every war eventually ends, and when that happens the monumental task of rebuilding an entire country begins. Restoring damaged and destroyed cities is not a simple task. First you must ensure it’s safe to rebuild by clearing unexploded munitions and boobie traps, then you must remove all the rubble. However, to accomplish this, you need people to drive the dump trucks, and roads on which to travel!

The long road home

It can take years to even begin rebuilding heavily damaged cities like Aleppo, Syria or Mariupol, Ukraine, and the cost is astronomical. Of course, victim countries are the least capable of rebuilding because of the destruction of government institutions, displaced population, and the total collapse of economic output necessary to generate the funds required to rebuild.

This leaves it up to the peace-loving, democratic nations of the world and their taxpayers who oppose unjustified aggression to finance the rebuilding of war-torn nations. Estimates to rebuild Ukraine range from $349 billion to over $1 trillion dollars. Ukraine doesn’t have that kind of money, so they need our help.

Oh no, Kosovo

Imagine the war has just ended and millions of people return to their homes and lives only to find that both no longer exist. Refugees and IDPs from Mariuopol must have a place to live when they return. If there’s no money or plan to rebuild their homes and lives, desperate people often take matters into their own hands. The reality of a post-war Ukraine without money or a blueprint to rebuild is bleak. 

Rebuilding a damaged home at the barrel of a gun is not the way to unite people, it just prolongs violence and promotes distrust between civilians and the government which is supposed to support them. One only needs to look at countries like Kosovo and Boznia-Herzegovina to see what a country without a rebuilding plan looks like thirty years after war.

Let’s get it right

To ensure that the Ukrainian people have a reliable plan to rebuild their country, western donor governments and NGOs need to sit down across the table from their Ukrainian government counterparts and civil society representatives and determine who is going to pay and how the money will be spent. 

That’s why I’m in Kyiv. To help create the foundation of a new Ukraine rebuilt for the people, and by the people. Enable Ukraine to take its rightful place as a NATO member and proven defender of Europe. A reborn nation that will protect the rights of all who oppose war and tyranny no matter where it happens. Slava Ukraini! Heroiam Slava!

I’ve been in Kyiv for nearly two months now and having a great time. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the 24-hour train ride from Warsaw to Kyiv and the occasional air raid siren, visiting the Ukrainian capital is like visiting any other beautiful European city. Indeed, Kyiv is a vibrant, European city. I’m staying in a funky, design hotel with great coffee, original local art on the walls, and a rocking rooftop bar full of happy hipsters and supermodels. I walk or take Uber around town, the sushi is excellent, and the spicy ramen joint down the street competes with of the best in Vancouver.

However, I’m really impressed by how technologically advanced everyone is, especially the young. As most of you know, digital identity is my thing, and Ukraine is leading the pack with their national digital identity platform, Diia. Diia, which means ‘action’ in English, is a phenomenal example of the power of digital identity and how it can be used to simplify your life by carrying digital versions of your driver’s license, passport and credit card. 

Like most things in Ukraine, Diia is so much more than it seems, and that’s a testament to the creativity and capabilities of the Ukrainian Ministry of Digital Transformation – even while they fight a war with a superpower.

One stop shop

Diia is not just a digital identity mobile application or ‘wallet’ for your identity, it is a portal for a myriad of government services. Need a grant to start a business? Complete the form on Diiaand apply with a single click. Want a grant to build a greenhouse? Diia has you covered with one click. Diia can also register your business, track your COVID vaccination status, apply for unemployment insurance, and electronically sign documents.

By combining all these services into one mobile app, Diia is the most advanced government digital identity application in the world and it’s 100% Ukrainian. 

Diia goes to war

You’d expect such an advanced platform to have taken at least a decade of trial and error to centralise all this incredible convenience, right? Nope, as I have seen first-hand, when Ukrainian people put their minds to something, they get it done, and quickly. Diia was launched on February 6, 2020, and over last two years Diia has been downloaded by 10 million Ukrainians.

Since the February 24, 2022 unjustified invasion by Russia, Diia has become a key tool in the war effort. Has your house been damaged or destroyed? Take a few pictures and file a claim on Diia. Over 13 million people have been displaced by the war and if they need help paying rent for temporary shelter in a safe city, they can apply directly through Diia. Diia has also gone on the offensive by adding the ability to report war crimes and enemy troop movements!

Proceed with caution

Diia is a fantastic example of what digital identity can offer, but there are challenges. To apply for Diia you must have a smartphone, internet access and Ukrainian bank account, things not everyone has – especially in the countryside. Unfortunately, this is the Achilles heel of all digital identity platforms.

Since Diia is a mobile app, one must be careful. People fleeing Russian occupied territory are often subjected to roadside checkpoints. Ukrainians have been detained and even murdered by Russian troops for having evidence of war crimes and enemy locations on their smartphones. If you have Diia and some soldier forces you to unlock you phone, it can literally be the difference between life and death.

Diia is no panacea but it’s a great example of the power of digital identity to transform access to services, bypassing cumbersome paper forms and bureaucracy with a few clicks. The Ukrainian people always find a way to get it done, a lesson they have taught us through their bravery, tenacity and spirit as they fight for freedom. Diia is a shining example of what digital identity can accomplish.