As many of you know, the last few weeks have been characterized by the Russian invasion of the independent country of Ukraine. Tensions began escalating in December of 2021, reaching a climax with the movement of Russian forces into Ukraine and the full-scale invasion of the country on February 24th. Over 870,000 Ukrainians have fled, and concerns about humanitarian and refugee crises linger on our minds daily.
Observing this conflict from our position of relative safety within the U.S. can be frightening. We have the privilege of being able to turn off the news, put down our phones, and tune out when things start to get too overwhelming. We have reached the two-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now that things are finally, slowly starting to return to normal we have a new international crisis to contend with. Feelings of uncertainty, emotional burnout, and helplessness are common and natural. Instead of being ruled by this fear, it is our hope that these feelings can motivate us to take action and stand in solidarity with Ukraine.
As a campus student newspaper, we at the Weekly are ardent supporters of freedom of speech and the press, and value being able to have honest and open conversations about serious issues that affect us all as Gusties and global citizens. We encourage you to engage with the news, reach out to your peers, professors, and loved ones, and keep Ukraine in your thoughts.
Sincerely,
The Gustavus Editorial Team

If you are able, please consider making a donation to groups providing aid:
CARE: providing food, water, other necessities for families fleeing Ukraine.
Doctors without Borders: providing medical and humanitarian needs.
International Committee of the Red Cross: a Swiss- based organization supporting the Ukrainian Red Cross.
“Keep Ukraine’s Media Going”: A GoFundMe designed to help Ukrainian reporters relocate and continue their work.
Voices of Children: A Ukrainian foundation that offers counseling for children affected by war.