A 27-year-old College of Regina pupil who felt compelled to journey to Ukraine throughout the battle says his time offering humanitarian help could also be coming to an in depth.
Alex Nau, whose mom stated he would not have Ukrainian heritage, selected to fly to Ukraine in early April to assist the nation because it tried to repel the Russian invasion. Now, after spending the summer season serving to because the co-founder of a charity referred to as HERO Society Ukraine, he is feeling exhausted and is hoping to go away quickly if given the prospect.
“I am getting fairly bored with being right here, not bored with Ukraine itself clearly however simply the battle, seeing all of the carnage that occurs, all of the refugees and internally displaced folks undoubtedly wears you down,” Nau informed Stefani Langenegger, host of CBC’s The Morning Version.
He is hoping to search out somebody within the space he can cross the reins to.
The Morning Version – Sask9:56U of R pupil serving to to offer humanitarian help in Ukraine
Many people have been watching information of the Russian invasion of Ukraine however Alex Nau was moved to go assist the folks there. We examine in with him close to the entrance traces of the battle.
Nau stated he is about 20 to 30 kilometres from the entrance traces within the Ukrainian metropolis of Zaporizhzhia — which was captured shortly after the Russian invasion on Feb. 24 — in a constructing the place his “balcony basically overlooks no man’s land.”
Lately, he watched missiles explode close by, with a number of buildings of their neighbourhood being hit, shaking the partitions and home windows of his residence.
Regardless of that, he stays.
“I believe the work that we do is actually significant, particularly for Ukrainians seeing us westerners right here,” he stated.
He is been serving to in numerous methods, he stated, however previously two months he is been making weekly deliveries of meals provides from the non-profit group the World Central Kitchen to war-torn communities.
That features locations like Kharkiv the place, on Aug. 18, the regional governor stated 17 folks had been killed and one other 42 injured in two separate Russian assaults.
“That metropolis get bombed … like a number of instances every single day, particularly among the areas that we go to. I’d say it is scary however on the identical time, I am form of used to it,” he stated, noting the help journeys to Kharkiv and again take an estimated 16 hours.
Leaving residence to assist
In late 2021, tens of hundreds of Russian troops gathered on the border connecting Ukraine to Russia.
It was round that point that Nau grew suspicious of Russia’s intentions and informed himself and others that he would journey to Ukraine, “to struggle or do what I can to assist folks defend their nation and their freedom.”
When requested what drove him to make the journey, he stated it was as a result of North People do not have to fret about battle at residence.
“Understanding that the folks of Ukraine do not have a alternative … lots of them are going to need to die defending their freedom and sovereignty, I made a decision to make the selection to truly come and assist these that do not have a alternative themselves,” he stated.
His mom, Jennifer Argue, stated when he left for Ukraine he deliberate to affix the army effort. She cried for 2 weeks.
“It was not one thing that I used to be ready for,” Argue stated.
She was relieved to listen to that he had modified his plan and supply humanitarian help, given his lack of army expertise.
Since then she’s messaged him nearly each day, however stated she nonetheless has hassle sleeping via the night time as a result of that is “when lots of the missile strikes are occurring.”
She typically checks her cellphone via the night time to look at for updates.
“Whereas I would like him to return residence, I perceive the rationale why he is there and why he would not have a particular date to return,” she stated, noting she’s happy with the work he is doing.
Nau stated his time in Ukraine “makes me admire the security now we have in North America, and particularly Canada.”
“We do not have to fret about neighbouring nations sending cruise missiles or tanks into your cities and killing your households,” he stated.
“I really admire residing in Canada.”
