Help David Help Ukraine
I NEED HELP! -so I hope you will read and consider.
My name is David Creecy. I am 73 years old, retired, single and a veteran of the U.S. Army(1971-74). As far back as I can remember, I was always a problem solver. Whenever I saw a problem, if I could take care of it, I did. If it was a financial problem and I had the money; I helped. If my neighbor was struggling to repair his fence; I lent a hand. People seldom needed to ask. But it doesn't come easy for me to ask other people for help.
So, why do I need help now and why am I asking? The simple answer is I am trying to get to Ukraine. I sent an inquiry to the Ukrainian Embassy with regard to joining their foreign legion to help fight against the barbarian Russian army that invaded on 24 February. I know I am older than they would like and they will probably decline the notion of combat duty, but there are so many other opportunities for service taking humanitarian aid into combat areas and bringing civilians out.
From the first days of the invasion, Russian soldiers have committed war crimes. In cities like Irpin and Bucha, they randomly killed civilians, leaving their corpses to lie in the streets for days. They looted homes and businesses. They raped women and children, then murdered them and tossed their bodies into mass graves. The number of documented atrocities is in the thousands.
This is not a dispute over land. It is not about political differences like communism or socialism. There are many countries around the world with varying degrees of socialist government. None of them make war on their neighbors. In none of them is theft, murder and rape rampant. This is about Russian society and culture. I watch translated Russian State TV every day. They consider Ukrainians to be less than human and daily advocate wiping Ukrainian people, culture and language from the face of the earth. I have listened to them say that Ukrainian children should be drowned in a river or locked in their houses and set on fire. I have heard them advocate many times that Russia should nuke Washington and London and other capitals in the West. The Russian people hear these maniacal things every day.
Every day I listen to intercepted phone calls from Russian soldiers to their families. I hear them tell of being told by their commanders to shoot civilians. I hear them brag about raping women and even children. I could never imagine doing such things, much less telling my mother or my wife. But the worst of it is that their families not only accept it; they often encourage it. That is why I say that the Russian society, in general, is infected with a cancer that must be stopped. The problem is not their politics their religion or the color of their skin. It is their culture.
When the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991, Ukraine had the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world. Naturally, the rest of the world was concerned about the proliferation of nuclear weapons. So, in 1994 a meeting was held in Budapest in which Ukraine agreed to surrender their nuclear weapons in exchange for certain security assurances. Known as the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, the agreement prohibited the Russian Federation, the United States and the United Kingdom from threatening or using military force or economic coercion against Ukraine. Obviously, Russia's war against Ukraine is a blatant violation of the agreement. But the US and UK could easily have prevented this war by simply announcing that they intended to uphold the Budapest Memorandum prior to Russia's invasion. The probability of the invasion was well known weeks before it took place. The US and UK failed to uphold the Memorandum and Russia did invade Ukraine.
Russia is again gradually moving troops into Belarus. Ukraine military leaders think Russia will again invade and try to take Kyiv. I disagree. I think they will bypass Kyiv to its west and try to cut off military resupply coming from Poland. Either way, Ukraine is forced to position troops near Belarus to discourage another invasion.
It is for these reasons, and many more, that I feel compelled to go to Ukraine and serve in any capacity; fight if needed. My government made a commitment on my behalf to the people of Ukraine. If our leaders don't have the integrity to honor that commitment, then I will. Sending weapons and ammunition after the fact is too little, too late. All the pain and suffering, all the lives lost, all the rapes and torture, all the destruction and all the other costs of this war are on the hands of those who failed to honor the commitments made to protect the country of Ukraine.
Another reason why I am asking for help is this: I made a personal commitment to support a family of 4 in Ukraine. I met Evheniia several years ago via social media. She was trying to learn to speak English and we met regularly on Skype for me to help her with grammar and vocabulary.
She shared a small apartment with her sister, Julia, and Julia's son Danya, now only 6 years old, in one of Ukraine's major cities. When the war started, I urged them to flee to a safer location. So they packed everything they could fit in Julia's little Hyundai, along with their grandmother and fled farther east. They left their home and their jobs and everything they had known all their lives, not knowing how they would live. Only a few days after they left, an apartment building in their neighborhood was destroyed by a Russian missile and the shelling has continued almost daily ever since.
Even in their safe(r) location, a large part of the day they are without electricity. That doesn't just mean they don't have lights. They don't have heat, water, internet connection and they can't cook. The Russian assault on Ukraine's power infrastructure has left most of the country like that. These days it gets to 10-15F at night. Imagine trying to live under those conditions. When they left their home, I promised them that I won't let them be cold or hungry if I am able. I intend to keep that promise.
Like I said at the beginning, I'm a problem solver. I can't live in the safety and comfort of my home, knowing about the suffering and atrocities taking place, and me doing nothing. I'm going to Ukraine. Maybe I'll be shooting a gun or maybe I'll be driving a relief van. Whatever I'm doing, I'll be working toward solving the problem.
Will you help me? I wouldn't ask anyone to have the same level of commitment to the people of Ukraine or to my loved ones that I have. You have your own priorities, as well you should. You have your family and your job to take care of. But please think about this: If you go out to eat tonight with your family or friends or if you go to a college football or basketball game; how much will you spend? Would you please consider contributing a similar amount to saving lives and easing the hardships caused by Russia's barbaric war against Ukraine? Maybe even your coworkers or your business would like to help. No amount is too small and all will be much appreciated. You can give thru my PayPal at
David Creecy
1731 S FM 2646
Levelland, Texas 79336
Thank you and may God bless you.