Helping Friends in Ukraine

Hi, my name is Inna Karyeva.

I am half Ukrainian and half Russian. When I’m asked where I’m from I usually say from Kharkiv, which is technically Ukraine where I grew up until I was 10. Russian is my first language and I went to a Russian speaking school. My mom was born and raised in Kharkiv, my dad, born and raised in Belgorod. While many strongly identify with one or the other I identify with both.

My grandmother who is in Belgorod was born and raised in Ukraine in former USSR, survived WWII, rode on a back of her brother’s bike for years for 3 hours every day from her village to get an education and get her MD. She and her family only spoke and knew Ukrainian, she didn’t speak Russian until she went to university, met my grandfather and eventually moved to Belgorod to start their family.

My grandmother from Kharkiv was born and raised in the Ural Mountains near Siberia to a father who was a clerk in the czar’s regime before the Russian revolution. One of 9, she was ferociously independent, survived WWII although lost several siblings in the war, and settled in Kharkiv, without ever speaking a word in Ukrainian where she met my grandfather whose family only spoke Ukrainian.

My families are completely blended. Kharkiv and Belgorod are less than 50 miles apart, less than a quarter of the distance between Boston and New York. Crossing the border has never been easy since I was born as the USSR collapsed but has become impossible. My grandmother, over 80, from Belgorod was turned away at the border before COVID after a failed try to visit her brother in Kharkiv for his 100th birthday. My uncle has been in Crimea since early 2010s and lived through the annexation. Kharkiv is now under attack and Belgorod has transformed to a war zone base.

To my Ukrainian family and friends, no one should ever have a right to impose on the natural rights of the people of a sovereign, democratic nation. I hope you feel all our prayers and thoughts and stay as safe as it is feasible. 

After much thought, research and discussions, my family and our community want to raise funds for the specific families we know who are in need in Ukraine in the Kharkiv and surrounding rural areas. The reality is Ukraine is still a predominantly lower income country with many just barely making ends meet during peaceful time. They would never ask for help on their own and we want to send them any support we can. 

My husband and I will be matching every dollar donated up to $3,000. We are still determining the best and safest way to send funds and will keep the updates coming through this page.

For my Russian family and friends, I ask everyone to please not turn your back on them. The Russian people did not ask nor want this war. They do not stand behind Putin nor his government but they also have no choice as people little do in an authoritarian government in order to survive. My niece and nephew are 8 and 14 and as many other younger generations they deserve our open mindedness, love and a hope for a future.

I don’t know when or if I’ll see my family again. Those words are hard to type and process, though I know are reality for so many in our world today. Thank you to everyone who has reached out, my family and I cannot express enough our gratitude and humility for all your support and thank you in advance for supporting those who need us now.

Thank you