The Tribune

IT is being called the worst and fastest growing refugee and humanitarian crisis since the Second World War. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, since the Russian invasion two weeks ago up to 1.7 million people have fled Ukraine, which is the most rapid mass movement of refugees in many years. This Refugee Agency, which is dedicated to saving lives and protecting displaced people, predicts the figure could reach four million in the coming months.

Followed by Hungary, Poland has so far taken in the vast majority of refugees while smaller numbers have gone to Moldova, Slovakia and Romania. Most are women and children since men between the ages of 18 and 60 have been ordered to stay behind to fight, but there are also thousands of foreigners studying or working in Ukraine who are also fleeing the conflict.

Before the current emergency, the European migrant crisis of 2015 - with some 1.3 million seeking asylum - was considered the most serious in history. That was the biggest number in a single year since the Second World War and was sparked by civil wars in Libya and Syria as well as conflict and unrest elsewhere in the Middle East and Africa. Europe struggled to respond to such a sudden influx and was deeply divided about how to tackle the issue. But large numbers continued to come. The UNHCR says, even though pandemic travel restrictions reduced international migration figures the year before, by the end of 2021 the number of people forced to leave their homes due to conflict and persecution rose to record highs.

Despite the European Union hardening its borders last year against new refugees as most member states tried to curb arrivals, the governments and communities of the countries concerned are now welcoming with open arms those who are fleeing Ukraine. They are providing much needed succour and aid, with individuals even making their homes available to refugees, while the leaders of Poland and Hungary, who in the past have taken a tough line on immigration, have explicitly stated they welcome them and have offered them “safe shelter”.

Already, this has caused fresh controversy because critics ask why Ukrainians are being treated differently - less strictly, more kindly and with greater support and assistance - by Poland, Hungary and the others compared with previous waves of refugees from places like Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Part of the answer may be the identities of those could not be verified so that they were perceived as potential security threats. But there have also been accusations of racism as students from Africa and South Asia crossing the border from Ukraine are reported to have encountered discrimination in the way they have been treated. If true, that, of course, is wrong and unacceptable because under the UN Refugee Convention no refugees are supposed to face discrimination based on race, religion or country of origin. But that is in an ideal world - sadly, the reality is often different.

All that said, while such claims may well be justified, the main factor in the difference of attitude by neighbouring countries towards Ukraine is likely to be cultural.

During the course of history there have been long-standing ties between Poland and Ukraine and regular movement of people between the two countries so that a natural affinity exists and there may be family or community links. Moreover, historically, borders in the region have changed many times dating back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Prussia - as have ethnicities, nationalities and languages.

Thus, proximity to Ukraine is significant at the people-to-people level. But geopolitics is also a factor. Given Poland’s history, there is said to be a strong feeling there that the country must be kept safe from both Russia and Germany. This has been achieved thus far through EU and NATO membership and it also explains the nation’s solidarity with Ukraine. So, overall, the “open-arms” policy of the Poles comes as no surprise as they consider not only are the people of Ukraine “just like us” but also “what is happening to them could also easily happen to us”.

As for the rest of Europe, it is also significant the EU has triggered its Temporary Protection Directive which will provide Ukrainians and third country nationals with refugee or permanent residence status with immediate protection and access to housing and other benefits without having to go through individual asylum procedures - and Britain, now outside the bloc, is reported to be offering 200,000 visas to those concerned.

More generally, I believe it should be repeated as often as possible that the Russian invasion has precipitated death, destruction and misery on a horrifying scale - and all for no reason as this was an unprovoked attack.

As was evident from the weeks and months leading up to the invasion, diplomacy could not have deterred Putin from his misguided, vainglorious and terrible venture. People claim he is demented and deluded but he has also shown himself to be a ruthless gangster. Whatever the validity of his claims about NATO encroachment, nothing can justify his extreme actions. It was, and continues to be, nothing short of pure evil and - as a consequence of the fearsome and cowardly attacks on civilians by the Russian military reportedly seeking to create as much panic and human suffering as possible - the end result may be a war crimes indictment of Putin and his immediate circle. It is hard for people to believe or even imagine the extent of the horror. The fear, sadness, misery and utter desolation of people being forced out of their homes and attacked is heart breaking to watch. The Pope has spoken of “rivers of blood and tears” and called for an end to the fighting. Is it too much to hope his words may be heeded?

Whatever now happens, it looks like the end for Russia’s tyrant leader

In contemplating further comment about the situation in Ukraine, I spotted an article in the UK press last week by a former British ambassador to Russia. Sir Roderic Lyne served in Moscow from 2000 to 2004 and had dealings with Vladimir Putin who became President in 2000. Heads of Mission in the British Diplomatic Service are experienced observers of the local scene and people value their views. So, it was interesting to read his comments, in particular what he had to say about ways of forcing the Russian leader out of office.

He wrote first about Putin as an all-powerful but unhinged leader who believes the West is trying to dismember Russia - and he wants Ukraine back within its so-called sphere of influence. But neither he nor those around him in the Kremlin understand properly the extent to which Ukraine has changed and developed over the last decade or more, so that it is increasingly looking towards the West.

Putin is now divorced from reality while isolated in a bubble with a few of his old KGB cronies. He had expected a quick victory in Ukraine but cannot now back down despite having seriously misjudged the situation and miscalculated the strength of Ukrainian resistance. It has become clear, even if he achieves a military victory and installs a puppet regime in Kyiv, it will be faced with an impossible challenge in trying to administer a nation of nearly 45 million people committed to mass civil disobedience and continuing armed resistance.

The ambassador went on to say that freedom of expression was alien to Putin who had now cracked down on independent media and foreign news providers in Russia. But there was already increasing opposition to the war within the country, including 1.2 million signing an online petition against it. People know what is happening because every Russian has a mobile phone and many are receiving from friends and contacts overseas damning photos of dead and injured children and news about the destruction of Ukrainian cities.

What is more, he wrote, Russians have been getting used to greater freedom of speech as more than 100 million of them have no adult memories of life before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 – and, like most people, the average Russian desires peace, education and a good job and does not want to see his leader declaring war on another country for no good reason and without provocation. So, as the body bags start coming back, the West’s sanctions begin to bite, the economy collapses and living standards fall - while international isolation weighs down on everybody -- there will be even greater opposition.

He concluded that, since Putin is unlikely to step down of his own accord, there are two ways of forcing him out - either a mass uprising or an inside job by people around him. Even though public opposition is growing, the first is unlikely in the short term since Putin holds all the levers of repression to stop it. As for the second, Putin’s dream of a new Soviet empire is already in tatters. Once those close to him judge that his dreadful mistake over Ukraine is costing Russia too much – particularly with the economy in free fall – someone may summon the courage to act. But, whatever happens, the world will not be held to ransom by a deranged dictator and his frightened associates. This is the beginning of the end for the Putin regime - and he will not survive the crisis he himself created.

A brave hummingbird

The following is a brief description of my recent encounter with a hummingbird whom I originally called Harold but have now renamed Harriet. This was after an internet search revealed that, unlike many birds which share incubation duties between male and female, hummingbird females are almost always solely responsible for this task.

One morning not long ago, when I was quietly unlocking the outside door to my study that leads on to the patio of our house, I was suddenly dive-bombed from behind by a hummingbird which then joined me as I sat down at my desktop computer. Under Harold’s steely gaze, I could not for the life of me think what I had done to provoke his wrath. After staying in the study for some minutes – no doubt to make his presence felt - he flew out again. It then became apparent what had motivated his attack. I saw that he was sitting in a tiny nest which had been built on nothing more than the wiring for our fairy lights attached high up on the inside of the roof over the patio - and all he was doing was protecting it.

It was at that point that I made the name change for it was obvious that one or more eggs were being covered. Needless to say, I did not investigate further - for fear of disturbing Harriet -- but simply went about my daily tasks pretending not to notice the nest. This seems to have built up confidence between us since she is now comfortable having me around and knowing that I am not a predator but rather a source of food.

How wonderful tiny hummingbirds are - brightly coloured and the smallest bird in the world, I have read that, although native to the wider Americas, they are mostly found in the tropics; and their name derives, of course, from the humming noise made by their wings, especially when hovering in front of flowers.

My wife and I earnestly hope Harriet’s devotion to hatching eggs will be successful. But we are only too well aware that after completing her task she will disappear again. When that time comes, we shall wish a fond farewell to an old friend - but not without first telling her that we reckon she and her species are one of Nature’s finest creations!