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“The prisoner getting a letter reveals them that any individual is watching, any individual is pondering and caring about them. It helps maintain their sanity.”
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She was arrested, Antonina says, for simply being a cook dinner.
Dwelling within the jap Ukrainian metropolis of Mariupol, which Russia now occupies after one of many bloodiest battles of the battle, Vladislava Volodymyrovno cooked for Ukrainian troopers there and has now been detained by Russia since April 2022.
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She is amongst greater than 4,000 Ukrainians held in Russian captivity, in line with the Ukrainian authorities, and Antonina, 22, who’s Russian by delivery however grew up in Montreal, is writing to her.
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“I noticed that we had been born in the identical 12 months, so she’s 22, like me. And he or she was arrested on my birthday,” mentioned Antonina, who solely offered her first identify as a result of she fears reprisals for household she nonetheless has in Russia.
Antonina, together with a dozen or so from Montreal’s Russian group, gathered on Sunday on the Musée d’artwork contemporain de Montréal (MAC) in downtown Montreal to put in writing letters to prisoners captured by Russia.
The occasion was organized by the Russian Canadian Democratic Alliance of Montreal, a bunch of anti-war volunteers. They set up these letter-writing classes month-to-month, in venues from cafés to properties, however lately on the museum.
In keeping with one of many organizers, Olga Babina, every month they compile themed profiles of prisoners to deal with. This month is on Ukrainian political prisoners to mark the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The timing additionally coincides with the demise of Russian opposition chief Alexei Navalny, underscoring the dangers confronted by those that converse out towards the Russian authorities.
“We’ve ready details about Ukrainians as a result of it’s the anniversary of the battle and we need to spotlight the victims of the battle,” mentioned Babina, 35. “The prisoner getting a letter reveals them that any individual is watching, any individual is pondering and caring about them. It helps maintain their sanity.”
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Attendees typed their letters, which will be written in English or French earlier than being translated into Russian, as a substitute of utilizing pen and paper. These are despatched electronically with the assistance of OVD-Data, a Russian human rights group, to the prisoners as no mail will be despatched between Canada and Russia.
Inform them about your day and embody jokes, the organizers advise the writers, whereas reminding them the prisoner’s destiny is within the palms of the Russian officer who reads their letter earlier than it reaches the prisoner.
These writing don’t know if the prisoners will reply to their letters — and even obtain them. However they nonetheless write, sharing tales about their day-to-day lives and asking the prisoners about theirs.
“I talked to her about my favorite film, which is Amélie, the French film,” Antonina mentioned, talking about what she wrote to Volodymyrovno. “I talked a bit about how a lot I worth individuals’s tales, how a lot I believe that many tales that we encounter turn into part of our story. And I thanked her for her story ultimately turning into part of mine.”
Babina mentioned she likes to put in writing to much less well-known prisoners as they are going to obtain much less mail. She additionally mentioned that prisoners generally reply, answering questions and sharing particulars about life inside jail.
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Sunday’s occasion drew Montrealers with no ties to Russia — however nobody from the Ukrainian group, Babina mentioned, noting it’s sophisticated. It was adopted by a movie screening of the documentary 20 Days in Mariupol.
Quebecers Marie-Josée Lemieux and Jean Prémont joined regardless of having no Russian or Ukrainian relation however needed to point out their help for Ukraine.
“I hope my letter can distract her for a second, studying about any individual else very far with a special scenario,” mentioned Lemieux, a nurse who mentioned she selected to put in writing a letter to a Ukrainian mom as a result of she’s additionally a mom. “Perhaps it is going to assist her to have a superb second for a couple of minutes.”
Prémont, a retired educator, added: “It’s vital for them to know that someplace on the earth, any individual’s fascinated about them.”
The volunteers began organizing letter-writing after the beginning of the invasion, together with internet hosting different occasions and rallies, to point out help for Ukraine.
Coming into the third 12 months of the battle, Russia maintains that it’s a “particular army operation.” Russia at present occupies slightly below a fifth of Ukrainian territory.
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Greater than 10 million Ukrainians have additionally been displaced by Russia’s invasion, 4 million internally and 6 million leaving for different nations, in line with the United Nation’s Excessive Commissioner for Refugees.
Political squabbling within the U.S., over Ukrainian funding and up to date battleground victories for Russia, nonetheless, has left Western analysts more and more fearful concerning the battle’s path.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his G7 counterparts on Saturday pledged once more their “unwavering” help however Ukraine is continuous to expertise useful resource issues as Russia assaults.
In Montreal, a disparity of concepts exists throughout the Russian expat group over the invasion, mentioned Babina.
“The vary of opinion is insane. I actually haven’t met a number of Russian expats who reside in Canada and are pro-war. However for instance, we had a Ukrainian-Canadian lady … she mentioned that she misplaced all of her Russian buddies after the start of the battle as a result of all of them supported it.”
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This hasn’t stopped those that oppose it from organizing and exhibiting their help for Ukraine, figuring out that it’d threat their households’ security again in Russia and any probability of return they could have.
Weighing on many minds of anti-war Russian expats in Montreal is the arrest of U.S.-Russian citizen Ksenia Karelina, detained for treason after donating simply over $50 to a Ukrainian charity.
Greater than 1,000 individuals in Russia stay imprisoned for politically motivated prosecutions, in line with OVD-Data.
Babina says she would possible face jail if she returns to Russia — however she stays undeterred, with extra occasions scheduled over the battle and the demise of Navalny. Subsequent month’s letter writing can be dedicated to imprisoned ladies.
“I’m right here and I’ve this privilege to talk freely. To make use of my proper to free speech. My household and other people in Russia, my buddies, they don’t have this,” she mentioned. “It’s about giving voice to those that can not converse up in Russia.”
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