Help Sooo...I'm Ukrainian

[GrumpyFrog]

Hey everyone. I never wanted to disclose my nationality and location here previously, out of fears for my privacy, but it's kind of relevant now, y'know. I am from Ukraine and not even the better safer part of Ukraine. As far as I can tell, at the moment the whole world knows what's up with that, so I don't need to explain that we're invaded and completely screwed.

Localy all the people I've seen are, understandably, in a complete feedback loop of panic and hysterics. People are terrified, emotional and very confused, the information I'm getting is very inconsistent, and also I don't really have much real life connections. So I'm making this thread to ask people from outside of this situation that are not in immediate danger and therefore are thinking clearly for advice and suggestions. And also just, you know, to talk, to vent, because there isn't much more I can do at the moment, and if any of you ever faced a terrifying crisis outside of your control in your life I'm sure you know that sitting around doing absolutely nothing and marinating in your own anxiety is awful.

This forum also will have a unique understanding of my situation and the kind of advice I'm seeking. The thing is, I was never one of those people that hate life and only want death. The suicidal ideation that brought me here was always very circumstantial, and was initially connected to extreme financial difficulties and disability, then I was able to adapt and recover, and then I returned here when I first realized that a full-scale war became a very close and a very realistic prospect (although I didn't expect it to happen this soon), and that I have no real opportunity to escape. I actually have many things I want to do in life, many things I love, and if provided with an option of safety and the most basic comfort I would very much want to continue living. But at the same time while most people around me have their survival instinct amped up to 11 and all that is being discussed is surviving at any cost, I am not interested in that. In case of apocalyptic scenarios, I will be seeking the quickest and least painful death rather than any means of survival available. So this is pretty much the only place where I can discuss things from this angle, although I understand that given the circumstances, there are no failsafe guidelines for me on that matter.

I don't know what to expect in terms of Internet connection (obviously), but when I can be online this would probably be the second place I'd go to after checking the official news. If anyone is curious about anything about the situation, feel free to ask me. I probably wouldn't be posting any videos or pictures, because I don't have the fastest connection and there is no real point in me reposting publicly available content here since you can access it without my assistance if you're interested, and taking pictures or videos of anything war-related myself to post online doesn't feel like a smart and safe idea at the moment.

Idk. Love you all, take care.

 

[nothing123]

Don't have much to say or offer, but I'm hoping that whatever choice you make is the one you're comfortable with. I can't even imagine how difficult it is right now for you. Sending love

 

[Bone]

Wild stuff. I hope your internet connection doesn't go down and you are able to maintain a charge on your battery(ies). The perspective of someone in that scenario is interesting; a lot of us, especially on SS, pretend like we know exactly what we'd do and how we'd feel, but there is no way to predict until it actually happens. I hope you stay safe and aren't in immediate danger, at least. Extreme financial difficulties due to my (mental) disability are the ultimate main reason I'm here, so I can relate a bit to that part of your post.

Are you comfortable staying at or near your home, on the move, or what? Do you have any family or friends you can group with? I hope there is a shelter near you and you have food.

 

[Istanbulite]

Stay safe and report back whenever you feel like it

 

[GrumpyFrog]

The perspective of someone in that scenario is interesting; a lot of us, especially on SS, pretend like we know exactly what we'd do and how we'd feel, but there is no way to predict until it actually happens.

Yeah, I know many people on here are facing their own difficulties of all kinds and hopefully no one ever has to face this kind of crisis, but it's really like:

Me, literally 2 days ago - IDGAF about the threats, if things are really dire I'd just kill myself or put myself in danger to get killed.
Me, now - HOW do I kill myself? Do I do it now or do I see how things go? How long can I wait? What if I fail now? What if others need my help? How can I help? If they bomb my neighbourhood do I run to a shelter and then proceed to be homeless and without any of my possessions or do I just stay home and hope that if my home is in fact hit I just die fast? What is happening? What is going to happen? Why didn't I withdraw any cash back when I could? Where do I buy a fucking flashlight?

*The latter two is a cautionary tale to literally anyone who is planning to remain alive for any prolonged time. You might not be hit by a surprise war, but it might be all kinds of natural or technological disasters, epidemic/pandemic etc. Have a good amount of good old cash on hand and make sure you have basic survival stuff such as flashlights, matches, swiss army knife, etc. in your house. Sincerely, person learning this the hardest way possible*

Are you comfortable staying at or near your home, on the move, or what? Do you have any family or friends you can group with? I hope there is a shelter near you and you have food.

Thank you. I do have some food, not a massive stock since I pretty much have no access to my money (and also don't really plan on fighting for survival in case of prolonged apocalyptic scenarious where things get so bad you can't find food). I am home and while it is scary to be here, I pretty much have nowhere to run. I could try to relocate to a different part of the country, but then what, be homeless? There obviously no way to house everyone because pretty much half of the country is already unsafe and all civilans simply cannot be crammed into the other half of the country. Plus the sad reality is that there is no guarantee that anywhere in this country is going to be safe. And if you do chose to move out of the city, there is good chance you'll run into actual active warfare zone and will make things a million times worse for yourself than if you just stayed home. Plus, I don't have a car, and I'm not sure how the public transportation is functioning, if it's functioning at all.
My family is a special case, they are, frankly, not good people who have no love for me and all I heard from them when I got in touch was my mother's literal demand to give her all my cash, so...as horrible as it sounds, they can go and fend for themselves and I'll fend for myself. And as for my friends, I am frankly very confused as to what is currently going on and it's the scariest thought I have, but there's a chance all of them are about to be drafted. I am waiting for a call that should clear up this draft situation, and it's a bit overdue now...but I'll give it a couple more hours before I'll get properly terrified about it.

Thank you for your kind words, everyone!

 

[ncmxm]

Hey everyone. I never wanted to disclose my nationality and location here previously, out of fears for my privacy, but it's kind of relevant now, y'know. I am from Ukraine and not even the better safer part of Ukraine. As far as I can tell, at the moment the whole world knows what's up with that, so I don't need to explain that we're invaded and completely screwed.

Localy all the people I've seen are, understandably, in a complete feedback loop of panic and hysterics. People are terrified, emotional and very confused, the information I'm getting is very inconsistent, and also I don't really have much real life connections. So I'm making this thread to ask people from outside of this situation that are not in immediate danger and therefore are thinking clearly for advice and suggestions. And also just, you know, to talk, to vent, because there isn't much more I can do at the moment, and if any of you ever faced a terrifying crisis outside of your control in your life I'm sure you know that sitting around doing absolutely nothing and marinating in your own anxiety is awful.

This forum also will have a unique understanding of my situation and the kind of advice I'm seeking. The thing is, I was never one of those people that hate life and only want death. The suicidal ideation that brought me here was always very circumstantial, and was initially connected to extreme financial difficulties and disability, then I was able to adapt and recover, and then I returned here when I first realized that a full-scale war became a very close and a very realistic prospect (although I didn't expect it to happen this soon), and that I have no real opportunity to escape. I actually have many things I want to do in life, many things I love, and if provided with an option of safety and the most basic comfort I would very much want to continue living. But at the same time while most people around me have their survival instinct amped up to 11 and all that is being discussed is surviving at any cost, I am not interested in that. In case of apocalyptic scenarios, I will be seeking the quickest and least painful death rather than any means of survival available. So this is pretty much the only place where I can discuss things from this angle, although I understand that given the circumstances, there are no failsafe guidelines for me on that matter.

I don't know what to expect in terms of Internet connection (obviously), but when I can be online this would probably be the second place I'd go to after checking the official news. If anyone is curious about anything about the situation, feel free to ask me. I probably wouldn't be posting any videos or pictures, because I don't have the fastest connection and there is no real point in me reposting publicly available content here since you can access it without my assistance if you're interested, and taking pictures or videos of anything war-related myself to post online doesn't feel like a smart and safe idea at the moment.

Idk. Love you all, take care.

Я так тебе сочувствую, я даже не могу представить, каково тебе сейчас, обнимаю тебя крепко (если ты не возражаешь) и надеюсь, что ты будешь в безопасности

Пожалуйста, не делай ничего с собой, если ты не хочешь на самом деле умирать, пожалуйста пожалуйста пожалуйста постарайся ничего с собой не делать, если разговор с кем-то может тебе чуть-чуть помочь, можешь написать мне
Я знаю, как это сложно, держаться, когда тебе приходиться сталкиваться с чем-то настолько огромным и пугающим и чем-то абсолютно вне твоего контроля, мне просто так грустно читать, что тебя это подталкивает к самоубийству, я искренне хочу, чтобы у тебя опять все было хорошо

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

I cannot even begin to fathom how terrifying this situation must be for you and how the dilemma of contemplating suicide in this scenario you're facing must also be weighing heavily down on you. I really hope that whatever happens, this is not goodbye because you've always been such a supportive person to me and so many others on the forum, even as far back as my early days here in 2020 you've been around offering your own insight into things and have helped me process my own feelings. You were practically the first current member to ever empathize with something I've posted about having faced worse events yourself.

I didn't think this ordeal would really affect anyone I care about yet but knowing you're from there now…I just really wish there was something I could do. I don't deeply care about anyone much but the fact you were nice to me before and are a fellow member of this forum is enough for me to feel as deeply as I can for someone who I've only interacted with online. I hope for your safety and peace of mind however that may come. If you do end up choosing to CTB I hope you can at least manage to do so quickly and painlessly. I'd rather hope you can make it through okay though but I can understand if you wouldn't want to suffer through the aftermath of these senseless attacks. If it comes to getting nuked, you can only really hope that you're close enough to die asap but who knows if even that is still long enough for your brain to lengthily process a few microseconds of burning agony by stretching it out to minutes. Not a recommended way to go if you can help it but of course you probably knew that…

Sorry if I'm spamming the word hope a lot because that's really all I can offer... I had more to say but even though English is my first and only language I'm also struggling to come up with the words to properly say everything I want to about these events because it never occurred to me just how much it could affect me. If this is indeed goodbye due to internet failure or whatever could happen (and again I hope it isn't), I mainly want you to know how much you've meant to me as a friend, at least as much as any anonymous Internet forum member ever could possibly mean to me, which is surprisingly a lot. Maybe it's a little too early to say that now but can't be too careful. Ugh, again I wish I could do more than just wish for your safety…

 

[whywere]

My heart and soul goes out to you, your family, friends, every Ukrainian. I pray that everyone in Ukraine is all right. We are ALL together as a family here, as far as I am concerned, and I will have you in my prayers.

Stupid Putin and his cash grabbing cronies will never not only win but they will face judgement here or in the afterlife.

Godspeed to you and everyone there that you stay safe. I NEED folks like YOU.

Walter

 

[GrumpyFrog]

@ncmxm спасибо

@Dr Iron Arc thank you! You've always been and remain incredibly supportive of me (as well as other forum members) and I am immensely grateful to you for it. I hope my story doesn't get you too upset. You're a very kind and beautiful soul. I know how much you love to deny it at any cost and get mad at anyone who talks about you positively, but please, do me a big favour and lets not do that dance right now. Thank you for being my Internet bestie for these two years, in case it's goodbye or even if it isn't. For as long as I am able to be online and reach you, you're being super helpful by just talking to me, being supportive and maybe offering some advice. Love you to the moon and back

A bit of a practical advice moment - I have packed some stuff into my handbag and put it next to my apartment's door in case I'll have to run for some reason. I'd also take it with me whenever I'd leave the house in case I'd be locked out. Here's what I packed:

- My ID
- All cash I have (which is, unfortunately, not a lot). Small notes in a front pocket, bigger notes hidden inside.
- My two credit and one debit card (mostly useless at the moment but who knows?)
- All the meds I regularly take or might urgently need (except for the ones I already don't have, sadly)
- A small notepad and a couple of pens in case I need to take some notes
- A powerbank, two phone chargers and two USB cords
- A couple of lighters (cheap crap but those are the best I could get), small scissors
- Personal hygiene stuff, a small pack of wet wipes (could use a bigger one), hand sanitizer
- A couple of energy bars as a small snack
- A can of soft drink because I am a complete and utter idiot and only bought two huge ass bottles of water that I have no way of carrying around and I apparently don't have a single small, packable plastic bottle in the house. I plan to buy a small water bottle ASAP, it might take time but so far isn't outside of realm of possibility.
- A packable bigger tote bag in case I need to also pack something bigger on the go
- My keys

So a few questions to the fellow forum members who are not terrified stupid like me:

1) Does packing some food and drinks that would require hot water to make (quick oats, mash potato pack, instant coffee with sugar) makes sense or is it stupid of me to assume they will be of any use in an emergency?
2) Does packing a second power bank makes sense or is an overkill that will only make the bag heavier and bulkier?
3) Does packing a foldable knife sounds like a good idea (practical) or the worst idea ever (can get in trouble with police/military, or get it taken away by someone who'll use it on me)?
4) Any suggestions on what else should I put in this bag?

Let's operate on a hopeful assumption I will be able to read your responses. Thank you in advance for all suggestions and support. And in case this will end up really being the oddest goodbye thread on the forum, it was super nice knowing all of you and I wish you peace in all meanings and interpretations of this powerful word.

 

[whywere]

Maybe you already have these included: 1)Band aides 2) pain killer (aspirin or Advil or?) dry food, like you mentioned, anything that one can just add water, eat and go.

Foldable knife/blade? If it was me, as long as it is NOT a large one, that to me is key, I probably would have a small one with. The worst is having some cop or soldier take it away. If it was larger than I would be hesitant as, like you said, having it used against me. But a small one might come in handy if one has to be on the road for a bit.

I live in the upper Midwest, where in the winter I stock my car with everything in case it breaks down in a snow blizzard, so i would take dry food for sure.

If you could pour some water in a small bottle, I would take it, as far as using it to drink or mix food with.

Walter

 

[Silenos]

@Nessie Even for an emergency you're going to want to keep it as lightweight as possible, because carrying it around will drain your precious energy. I wouldn't bring anything that isn't absolutely essential. I feel like you'd better leave out the second power bank, and I also have some doubts about food that requires hot water. It's not much use to you unless you also have a canister stove, or the survival skills to make a fire.

The energy bars are a good idea. If you have any, or can get your hands on them later, I'd also recommend one or two cans of ready to eat fruits, veggies, soups or stews.

Definitely pack the knife. You'll want at least something to be able to defend yourself with, if it comes to that.

I sincerely hope you'll be able to get through this without getting hurt. If there's anything at all in the realm of possibilities for us to help you, let us know.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

@Dr Iron Arc thank you! You've always been and remain incredibly supportive of me (as well as other forum members) and I am immensely grateful to you for it. I hope my story doesn't get you too upset. You're a very kind and beautiful soul. I know how much you love to deny it at any cost and get mad at anyone who talks about you positively, but please, do me a big favour and lets not do that dance right now. Thank you for being my Internet bestie for these two years, in case it's goodbye or even if it isn't. For as long as I am able to be online and reach you, you're being super helpful by just talking to me, being supportive and maybe offering some advice. Love you to the moon and back

Alright then, I accept your positive talk. I thank you too.

I will also do my best to offer my humble advice on your questions:

1) If they're not too heavy or taking up too much space, I'd say bring those food items anyway. If for nothing else, you might still be able to barter with them somehow. You could also determine which ones would you be okay with eating uncooked if you really had no way of preparing them and decide to pack those. I know some canned food can be eaten straight from the can though they could be too heavy and require you to also pack a can opener so maybe it's not recommended to bring canned food…

2) Assuming the 2nd powerbank isn't TOO big it doesn't hurt to have it in case the other one dies. You could also bring one of those things with multiple outlets in the event you somehow need to charge multiple things at once although I'm not sure if some shelters or wherever would really allow that but it can't hurt to bring one anyway. I used to often carry around something like this even to cafes but it's up to you if you even have room for it:


3) A knife is useful for far more than just being a weapon like in case your scissors, well, won't cut it… sorry about that. Even if authorities want to confiscate it, just let them have it though they most likely wouldn't see you as a threat just for having one. As for any potential aggressors turning it against you, chances are they'd probably be more likely to attack anyway if they knew you didn't have one but with a foldable knife you could at least have a better chance to defend yourself. Least that's what I think though I can relate to being more worried about it being used against you. Perhaps it might be better instead to save the pocket knife as a last resort and rely on other means of self defense. You could try your lighter though idk how well that would work or maybe some pepper spray if you can get it.

4) Besides what I said, I'm unfortunately out of ideas. It seems you've done a really good job preparing everything you could possibly need since you cleverly thought of a lot of things I would never have thought of although I understand feeling there could definitely still be something missing. I think what you have is good as long as you can be sure you can carry it all easily enough to move as quickly as you can. Perhaps to get more ideas though, next time you're out at a store try to see what other people are trying to buyout or look at what's sold out to figure out what they decided is worth stockpiling/taking with them if they have to escape somehow. Even if it's sold out it might be something you already have at home. Hopefully that helps…

 

[GrumpyFrog]

Thank you so much for your suggestions, everyone! So, my conclusion - yes to the knife and probably yes to the extra powerbank and dry food as well.
Particular thank you @Dr Iron Arc for the outlet suggestion - I really didn't think about it, and it is an amazing idea. I wouldn't have any devices to connect to this besides my phone+charger on me all the time and the one I have is too big for my handbag. But in addition to the general go-to small bag that I will carry with me wherever I live my apartment no matter for what, I will be packing a separate shit-hit-the-fan big duffel bag in case I know I have to leave for a potentially long time and I will definitely put this in! Because not only I will be packing my laptop there, but I can actually help other people charge their devices too. And I never thought of taking it! Thank you so much! BTW canned food is also a good idea I did think about, for the bigger bag.

In other news, it's starting to get dark and still no call that I was expecting... I think it is officially time to be terrified. I am processing the fact that the "I'll call you back in a couple hours" from the closest person I have IRL here might've been the last words I'll ever hear from him. And you're oficially the only people I am keeping in touch with. I feel sick.

 

[grungeCat]

Oh my fucking god, that's terryfing...
My heart goes up to every people that live in Ukraine. Tears literally come to my eyes whenever I see something related to war in Ukraine, I'm crying even now... I'm not the only one, the whole world is terrified. There's high probability it's even a beginning of III World War. I am so sorry but I really can't do much. If you make it somehow to Polish-Ukrainian border then be informed that there's a lot of polish volunteers willing to help Ukrainian refugees. If I had my own apartment and car in Poland I would probably go to Polish-Ukrainian border myself.

 

[Manaaja]

I hope you stay safe and nothing worse happens. And I hope there won't be any power or water outtakes.

There's one Ukrainian artist I follow and he fled to Moldova (he probably should be in an army fighting, but he'd rather live in Moldova and continue his art career in safety), so if you can, I'd suggest possibly temporarily moving to other countries if Ukraine's situation gets worse. And there's one copy-paste post appearing everywhere on reddit where people advice Ukrainians to seek refuge from Poland, the post leads to a website. This is the website address, I suggest checking it out: https://www.gov.pl/web/udsc/ukraina-en

" Help for Ukrainian citizens

• Resources on legalisation of stay in Poland

INFORMATION FOR UKRAINIAN NATIONALS

1. If you are escaping from the armed conflict in Ukraine, you will be admitted to Poland.
2. If you do not have a place of stay in Poland, go to the nearest reception point.
3. At the reception point:

• you will receive more detailed information about your stay in Poland,
• we will provide you with temporary accommodation in Poland,
• you will receive a hot meal, drink, basic medical assistance and a place to rest.

As a Ukrainian national, you can enter Poland on the basis of:

• visa-free movement;
• national visa (D) or Schengen visa (C);
• a long-term visa or a residence permit issued by another Schengen state;
• the consent issued by the Commander in Chief of the Polish Border Guard, granted when crossing the border;
• the temporary residence permit, permanent residence permit or a long-term resident's EU residence permit and the valid residence card;
• an application for granting international protection filed at the Polish border crossing point."

Maybe a sunlight powered charger would be a good investment? I have a torchlight that can be charged manually by turning the handle and have found it helpful. After all, powerbanks don't help much if power goes out for more than one or two days. Some old kind of Nokia cellphone might be good too, the "normal" cellphone kind that can last for a week or two without charging (not a smartphone). There are also some kind of emergency fire makers and I think it might be useful for you in the worst case scenario. It doesn't require matches, it's a magnesium stick or something. Google: emergency fire maker tools.

I'd also suggest googling what to have as emergency food. In our country they say that you should have enough food to last two weeks without electricity. Also, have lots of paper and toilet paper. And bottled water.

Keep your muscles stretched and in good condition, it'd be bad if you had to suddenly run from your house while carrying a big backpack and your body didn't work. Start lifting and training your legs, you never know when you have to carry something heavy whether it be items or a wounded person or walk a lot. but don't over do it, just a few minutes of training each day is enough, don't tire your body.

Maybe have some sort of sleeping pills or other sleep helpers so that you can sleep in case you have to escape and sleep in who knows where. Now that I think about it, maybe a tent? And absolutely a sleeping bag. Have clothes for both cold and warm weathers and water resistant clothes, and hats and mittens and scarves. Oh, and have good shoes! Shoes that don't hurt feet, and can be used in snow, water, etc. In the absolute worst case scenario, you might have to walk miles in snow or wet roads.

I just remembered. There are things that can be used to purify water so you can drink any kind of water: https://worldlyadventurer.com/best-travel-water-filters/ In case you need to drink from a lake or river, use that. It will make the water clean and safe to drink.

Last but not least, buy a good big backpack, your arms, hands, fingers, shoulders, and back will thank you. You can also carry much more in them.

And this one is optional, but maybe take photos with you, if you can't see your loved ones, it's at least nice to look at their photos.

Actually, the "last-last" thing is, if you see a video or photo that looks real, make sure to fact-check it. Because there are already videos of Arma 3 (a realistic war simulator) circling around and people thinking they are real. For example, in one video they are attacking a plane. It looks real, even I was fooled to think it's real, but it's from a video game.

I hope all goes well and the war ends soon.

 

[Julgran]

Hey everyone. I never wanted to disclose my nationality and location here previously, out of fears for my privacy, but it's kind of relevant now, y'know. I am from Ukraine and not even the better safer part of Ukraine. As far as I can tell, at the moment the whole world knows what's up with that, so I don't need to explain that we're invaded and completely screwed.

Localy all the people I've seen are, understandably, in a complete feedback loop of panic and hysterics. People are terrified, emotional and very confused, the information I'm getting is very inconsistent, and also I don't really have much real life connections. So I'm making this thread to ask people from outside of this situation that are not in immediate danger and therefore are thinking clearly for advice and suggestions. And also just, you know, to talk, to vent, because there isn't much more I can do at the moment, and if any of you ever faced a terrifying crisis outside of your control in your life I'm sure you know that sitting around doing absolutely nothing and marinating in your own anxiety is awful.

This forum also will have a unique understanding of my situation and the kind of advice I'm seeking. The thing is, I was never one of those people that hate life and only want death. The suicidal ideation that brought me here was always very circumstantial, and was initially connected to extreme financial difficulties and disability, then I was able to adapt and recover, and then I returned here when I first realized that a full-scale war became a very close and a very realistic prospect (although I didn't expect it to happen this soon), and that I have no real opportunity to escape. I actually have many things I want to do in life, many things I love, and if provided with an option of safety and the most basic comfort I would very much want to continue living. But at the same time while most people around me have their survival instinct amped up to 11 and all that is being discussed is surviving at any cost, I am not interested in that. In case of apocalyptic scenarios, I will be seeking the quickest and least painful death rather than any means of survival available. So this is pretty much the only place where I can discuss things from this angle, although I understand that given the circumstances, there are no failsafe guidelines for me on that matter.

I don't know what to expect in terms of Internet connection (obviously), but when I can be online this would probably be the second place I'd go to after checking the official news. If anyone is curious about anything about the situation, feel free to ask me. I probably wouldn't be posting any videos or pictures, because I don't have the fastest connection and there is no real point in me reposting publicly available content here since you can access it without my assistance if you're interested, and taking pictures or videos of anything war-related myself to post online doesn't feel like a smart and safe idea at the moment.

Idk. Love you all, take care.

I'm sincerely regretful of your situation. Get out now. I have heard that men who are between the ages of 18 and 60 aren't allowed to leave the country, because your army needs you to fight against the Russians, so if you want to leave, leave now!

Of course, it all depends on whether you wish to fight for your country, or not. If you stay and fight, you are doing something good for the country, and if you leave, you are doing something good for yourself. There's no shame in leaving, though.

 

[Angi]

All of this is so sad to read! I send you all the strength I can think of!

The people behind this are full of shit, and I hope there is an afterlife, so that they can get what they deserve. As we know here on SS, there is enough suffering in this world, but probably not enough suffering to punish people for starting a war. This has been illegal for 100 years, and for a good reason, too. But the people affected are never the same as the people making the decision. I am not sure my anger is any help for you, but it leave it here just in case.

- All the meds I regularly take or might urgently need (except for the ones I already don't have, sadly)

So a few questions to the fellow forum members who are not terrified stupid like me:

1) Does packing some food and drinks that would require hot water to make (quick oats, mash potato pack, instant coffee with sugar) makes sense or is it stupid of me to assume they will be of any use in an emergency?
2) Does packing a second power bank makes sense or is an overkill that will only make the bag heavier and bulkier?
3) Does packing a foldable knife sounds like a good idea (practical) or the worst idea ever (can get in trouble with police/military, or get it taken away by someone who'll use it on me)?
4) Any suggestions on what else should I put in this bag?

Let's operate on a hopeful assumption I will be able to read your responses. Thank you in advance for all suggestions and support. And in case this will end up really being the oddest goodbye thread on the forum, it was super nice knowing all of you and I wish you peace in all meanings and interpretations of this powerful word.

I would like to offer you experience from martial arts classes and from relatives who lived to see the end of WWII.

1) Take a small knife, one that will not be found in your pack, if possible. Do not use it as a weapon, but for cutting things. This one is from personal experience. I am sure someone trained to wield a knife in combat can do lots of damage with it. You sound like you are not, same as me. I had 2 hours of training for fighting with a knive, and any more trained or stronger person fighting me would just take my knife in seconds. Every single time. So, if you are already stronger and fitter than you opponent, no need to bring a knife, and if you are not, you are giving your opponent a knive.

2) Pack cigarettes, any lightweight drugs, light valuables and all medication that might be useful for other people than you. Hide them as well as possible. Think about packing hard liquor as well. Cash is nice, but these are the real currency in rough times, I was told.

3) Know your area. I clean water in streams is not easy to find, you may want to bring the big water bottles over many other items, especially the dried food, because lack of clean drinking water will kill you faster than many other things. If you can bring more stuff, sure, bring the food. Oats do not even require hot water, probably a good choice. Canned stuff, too. I think I would not.

4) If you want more wet wipes, maybe you live close to a family with a baby. (Sounds very sad, given where you live, but chances are, you do.) They probably have lots of them, and need something you have. Trading can start right there.

I hope and pray all of this will be unnecessary. Maybe Putin can get what he wants really quick and bugger off? Thats what I will be asking for.

 

[rationaltake]

I wish I could help. This is a truly awful situation. People like you don't deserve to suffer like this.

 

[forgotten15]

I am heartbroken for Ukraina,I can't imagine the terror you are going through.
Is there any chance you could cross the border to Romania or Poland?These countries are offering civil protection and places for the refugees.

 

[GrumpyFrog]

Hey, everyone. Once again, thank you everyone for suggestions and support!

@Manaaja special thank you to you for taking the time to give me so much detailed advice.

Maybe Putin can get what he wants really quick and bugger off? Thats what I will be asking for.

It's not a good thing to hope for, but it is a realistic thing to hope for given the situation. The thing is, it is really unclear what the hell does he really want, frankly. Putins rhetoric is all over the place.

Is there any chance you could cross the border to Romania or Poland?

That is not completely outside of the realm of possibility, potentially, but I don't quite imagine how to do it logistically at the moment. I don't have a car and don't know anyone who will take me with them in their car, so considering that there is no long distance public transportation in my area now, at the moment there is no way for me to get anywhere other than on foot. Additionally, even if I did had a car, as far as I know we aren't totally encircled and surronded, but there is war action in all directions from where I am, and leaving the city bears a very real risk of ending up in basically at the frontline, unfortunately.

 

[Istanbulite]

I am extremely disappointed in people here who recommended him or her to flee the country she/he was born and cares about. incredible

 

[Mr2005]

I am extremely disappointed in people here who recommended him or her to flee the country she/he was born and cares about. incredible

I'm extremely disappointed in the ones that hope we all get nuked

 

[Istanbulite]

I

I'm extremely disappointed in the ones that hope we all get nuked

who hopes that?

 

[Mr2005]

I

who hopes that?

I'm not naming names because it's beside the point but I've seen it said several times already. Of course they won't say it here but it's worrying they'd say it anywhere on the forum presumably expecting people to be in agreement

 

[Istanbulite]

I'm not naming names because it's beside the point but I've seen it said several times already. Of course they won't say it here but it's worrying they'd say it anywhere on the forum presumably expecting people to be in agreement

yeah, vile comment imo, regardless of the poster who said

 

[My_name_is_Luka]

I'm so sorry that you are in this situation!
This war is making me suicidal even if I live 1000 km from the border with ukraine.
I'm so tempted to take my car and get in, but I know I will be stopped on the border.

I don't know how large your backpack is.
From the experience that I have from when I've been hiking, these are the things that were essential to me:

- food and tools for eating.
-- liquids, and anything with high nutritional value and that lasts for days
-- foldable knife, better if it has some additional tools like a can-opener / bottle opener
-- a mug or any plastic box that you can use as a plate, or where you can mix food with water, if needed. If metallic, it can be used to heat up food

- something warm to cover yourself.
consider that you will have to sleep somewhere and it's important that you stay warm!
It's a good idea if you wear multiple layers:
tshirt, shirt, sweater, thicker sweater, jacket
thin trousers, thicker ones
socks, hiking socks
gloves
If it's cold outside and you will have to sleep in cold places, having multiple layers will help you.
keep the ones that you don't use in your backpack, or in a bag tied to your backpack

- an portable electric light!

- anything that will help you to get in contact with others and not to get lost!
a mobile phone, yes, if you can rely that you will have power for long. Or a small foldable map.

- something for your hygiene (paper tissues or wet wipes, your medications, scissors)
if you get blisters from walking, something for that might help (band aids, ..).
disinfectant or soap.
toothpaste?

 

[GrumpyFrog]

I'm extremely disappointed in the ones that hope we all get nuked

And I feel a bit better about humanity as a whole and this forum in particular seeing that the threads about WWIII/nukes/this conflict being a good thing seemed to stop appearing after the war actually started.

@My_name_is_Luka thank you so much for your recommendations! I will be packing my bigger duffel bag soon and I will try to pack it according to your recommedations. I actually prepared a lot of those things, although I don't have an electic light/flashlight and I wish I knew where I can get it.

 

[LastFlowers]

Hey everyone. I never wanted to disclose my nationality and location here previously, out of fears for my privacy, but it's kind of relevant now, y'know. I am from Ukraine and not even the better safer part of Ukraine. As far as I can tell, at the moment the whole world knows what's up with that, so I don't need to explain that we're invaded and completely screwed.

Localy all the people I've seen are, understandably, in a complete feedback loop of panic and hysterics. People are terrified, emotional and very confused, the information I'm getting is very inconsistent, and also I don't really have much real life connections. So I'm making this thread to ask people from outside of this situation that are not in immediate danger and therefore are thinking clearly for advice and suggestions. And also just, you know, to talk, to vent, because there isn't much more I can do at the moment, and if any of you ever faced a terrifying crisis outside of your control in your life I'm sure you know that sitting around doing absolutely nothing and marinating in your own anxiety is awful.

This forum also will have a unique understanding of my situation and the kind of advice I'm seeking. The thing is, I was never one of those people that hate life and only want death. The suicidal ideation that brought me here was always very circumstantial, and was initially connected to extreme financial difficulties and disability, then I was able to adapt and recover, and then I returned here when I first realized that a full-scale war became a very close and a very realistic prospect (although I didn't expect it to happen this soon), and that I have no real opportunity to escape. I actually have many things I want to do in life, many things I love, and if provided with an option of safety and the most basic comfort I would very much want to continue living. But at the same time while most people around me have their survival instinct amped up to 11 and all that is being discussed is surviving at any cost, I am not interested in that. In case of apocalyptic scenarios, I will be seeking the quickest and least painful death rather than any means of survival available. So this is pretty much the only place where I can discuss things from this angle, although I understand that given the circumstances, there are no failsafe guidelines for me on that matter.

I don't know what to expect in terms of Internet connection (obviously), but when I can be online this would probably be the second place I'd go to after checking the official news. If anyone is curious about anything about the situation, feel free to ask me. I probably wouldn't be posting any videos or pictures, because I don't have the fastest connection and there is no real point in me reposting publicly available content here since you can access it without my assistance if you're interested, and taking pictures or videos of anything war-related myself to post online doesn't feel like a smart and safe idea at the moment.

Idk. Love you all, take care.

It was really something to read your last comment on the other thread, I appreciate your willingness to be so candid and give insight into what's going on over there, even when you're under extreme duress.
Thank you so much for your posts and for making this thread, it's such a clusterfuck of info outside of a smaller site like this, I wonder how you navigate it yourself while being smack in the middle of the dire reality.

I wish I had some helpful advice for you to ensure your own safety, but I'm afraid I would be speaking out of my ass if I tried to conjure up some words of wisdom, I'm just not well-versed in what to do during situations like this.
I am hoping somehow you will be able to retain any sense of your own space and personal items, and will be able to get any affairs in order so you can have the safe haven and means of comfort that will allow you to continue pursuing what you wanted to do in life.
Must be horrible to have recovered from one circumstantial nightmare, only to be dragged into another one..

 

[motel rooms]

If anyone is curious about anything about the situation, feel free to ask me.

How determined are the people of Ukraine to resist now that it's clear everyone has left them high and dry? How united is the country? Ignore my questions if you don't feel like answering them. I'm not a thoughts-&-prayers kind of guy, but I wish you & your friends strength & luck.

 

[My_name_is_Luka]

glad if I can be of any help or moral support!

I forgot: a small fork for eating, or anything that you can use to pick up / mix food.

about the electric light: if you plan to walk in the dark outside of a city, it prevents you from getting lost!
any shop with electrical appliances has it. But if you're short on money, maybe it's not a good idea to buy one.

of course your ID and documents.
A note with your blood type (if you know it).
And notes on your health issues that can be helpful to rescue you.
Keep them with your documents, or in a pocket (the first places that a rescuer would search).

About clothes: I don't know if it's rainy or snowy over there. But the last thing that you want is that your clothes get wet (since you won't have a second pair). If you have a cheap plastic raincoat, it will be the best.
If you can't cover your bag, put in plastic bags the things you don't want to get wet.

Most importantly: do not act suspicious in front of soldiers. no heroic acts!
Unless there are already fightings happening near where you stand, they won't shoot at you unless they think you are a threat