8
EESTI ELU reedel, 25. märtsil 2022 — Friday, March 25, 2022
English-language supplement to the Estonian weekly “EESTI ELU” Tartu College Publications Founding Chairman: Elmar Tampõld Editor: Laas Leivat 3 Madison Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 2S2 T: 416-733-4550 • F: 416-733-0944 • E-mail: editor@eestielu.ca Digital: www.eestielu.ca
Nr. 12
EERO supports Ukrainian refugees
This week the EERO – Ukrainian Refugee Fund sent $10,000 to Eesti Pagulasabi (the Estonian Refugee Council) and we hope to enough to take any lead in transfer a similar amount eliminating Putin. Similarly, again soon. some of the entrenched technoEERO (Estonian Ecumenical crats are obediently trying to Relief Organization) is grateful find ways to alleviate the hard- for the kindness and hard work ships of the crippling sanctions. of A.K.E.N. (Academic Cana However, stories about oli- dian Estonian Women’s Asso garchs grumbling about serious ciation), for supporting the threats to their fortunes have EERO Ukrainian Refugee Fund not made any discernible with $7,000. This donation will impact on Putin’s deadly help children and support the single-mindedness. needs of Ukrainian refugees in Putin and his close cohorts Estonia. Both EERO and have structured the Russian A.K.E.N. have operated for state so as to limit any threats over 30 years and have worked to the regime. He has instilled together several times to fear in the public by arresting achieve common goals (Kuld or even killing dissidents, Südamete Ball, shipments of principled journalists and street school supplies, Rannakohvikprotesters. He has made the 25th anniversary, etc.). EERO government elite and oligarchs continues to collect donations dependent on his largess for and hopes that other organizatheir own security and well- tions will follow the example of being. these wonderful women. Many Some scholars have indicated Canadian Estonians were either that totalitarian leaders are bet- WW2 refugees or are the deter able to withstand battlefield scendants of refugees and theredefeats due to an established fore know what it means to mechanism suppressing dis abandon everything and start loyalty and dissent. However, again with nothing. research has shown that rulers EERO supports Ukrainian of whatever stripe, when suffer- refugees in partnership with ing a major wartime setback are Eesti Pagulasabi (Estonian removed from power 90% of Refugee Council), which is certhe time. But many have tified as a humanitarian organicautioned that Putin will des- zation by the European Union. perately resist defeat, perhaps All donations are used to cover even to the extent of resorting the cost of evacuations, humanito nuclear weapons since his tarian aid in the Ukraine and personal survival is at stake. the urgent needs of Ukrainian Historians have noted that refugees in Estonia. departing authoritarian leaders Eesti Pagulasabi works with tend to be either forced out by government agencies and the the elite or the street. Possible Red Cross, through: scenarios are complicated and fraught with too many un • Transportation of refugees certainties. Currently, accurately from the Ukrainian border measuring the strength of Rus • Organization of evacuation buses to ensure the safety of sia’s opposition is impossible. Some have also suggested a Ukrainians with ties to Estonia possible foreign-imposed regime • Distribution of snacks and change. This strategy is also dangerous because it backs Putin into a corner, eliminating a negotiated end to the war. gave the Kremlin carte blanche Impeachment? Not likely, to use the military “in defence” because only someone with a of Russians abroad. death wish would start the What about information warprocess and it’s too lengthy. fare? But can breaking through The other possibility of not the Kremlin-imposed “Wall of replacing Putin, risks an urgently Lies” combat the Kremlin’s re-armed and revamped military decades-long, pervasive, ultrapoised for another adventurist nationalistic messaging. This attack, this time on the Baltics. has stoked the anti-West sentiIt could be initiated by false- ments of Russians, especially in flag accusations, involving the older generation and has Russian compatriots who are become well rooted. Most suffering genocide, especially in Russians have limited access to Latvia and Estonia. In fact, with Western news and commentary. legislation passed years ago, Domestic, government-controlled
Is Putin invincible? Since most observers have declared the invasion of Ukraine to be a disaster for Putin, could this foster his humiliating political demise, spur a palace takeover or force him to double down on slaughtering Ukrainians, a people he claims are intrinsi cally one with the Russian people? So far after three weeks of unexpectedly slow progress in occupying Ukraine, his popu larity hasn’t significantly suffered, even with the harsh sanctions that the West predicts will be real game changer. The facts about Russian military in competence and the ruthless targeting of civilians have not reached the average Russian. One must also remember the immediate improvement in Putin’s low approval rate and the jubilation in the streets after he annexed Crimea in 2014. By 2015 his approval had risen to 81% in an outpouring of nationalistic zeal. Putin fully understands that taking over foreign territory by force seems to be quite acceptable to most Russians. The ultra-nationalistic fervour he has been stoking for over two decades has paid off institutionally. Changes in legislation and the constitution, passed by servile lawmakers guarantee him ultimate powers until 2036. Ukrainian intelligence has mentioned the possibility of his inner military/security circle removing him from power. Others observe that Putin has surrounded himself with a diminishing group of jingoistic war-hawks who bolster his fixation on Russia as a world superpower and who tell him only what he wants to hear. Scholars point out that autocrats often find someone to blame when wars go badly. Thus, the fear of being named the fall guy could well drive people in Putin’s inner circle of military and security advisers to take him out to protect themselves. In fact, Ukrainian intelligence suggests that the head of the FSB, openly berated and humiliated for faulty intelligence assessments, would be a likely choice as the new autocrat in the Kremlin. But there are no indications that anxious and bullied security elite members are troubled
chocolate to refugees during the trip • Supporting Ukrainian refugees in coping with urgent needs in Estonia • Establishment of multiple locations where local Estonians can donate clothing, household supplies, diapers and other items – staffed by volunteers, who deliver what is needed, when it is needed. • Distribution of information and advice at registration centers in Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu and Rakvere • Delivery of humanitarian aid to Ukraine with the help of their partners • Provision of aid packages to refugees, and delivery of medicine and medical supplies to hospitals within Ukraine. (Last week some of these supplies even reached Mariupol, which is currently under siege.) As of March 16th, 22,000 Ukrainian refugees have been evacuated to Estonia, while around 6,000 are in transit to other countries (source: ERR News). Many Ukrainian refugees have travelled to Estonia in other ways or were in Estonia when the war started. This number will likely rise to 30,000 or even higher.
sources are considered legitimate and therefore reliable. A free Ukraine – nothing less is acceptable. However, no single playbook can ensure a quick change in Russian leadership. But Vladimir Putin and his co-criminals must be pushed from Ukraine. They are a danger to the world. The Kremlin’s leadership must be wrecked, bankrupted, ended. The grave tragedy is that Ukrainians are bearing the human costs for the rest of us. LAAS LEIVAT
The Ministry of Education is establishing a school that will provide part of the curriculum in Ukrainian but also teach the children Estonian, with the hope that they will be able to integrate into regular Estonian schools in September. About 40% of those refugees staying in Estonia are children, but the majority are infants or preschoolers. Ukrainian refugees account for about 1.67% of the Estonian population. The same percentage of refugees in Canada per population would translate to 660,000. How to Donate: 1. Donate to the EERO Ukrainian Refugee fund account at Northern Birch Credit Union. 2. e-transfer to eerolaekur@ gmail.com (Please include your email and postal address for tax receipts) 3. Mail to EERO Ukrainian Refugee Fund, 17 Tufton Cres., Toronto, ON M4A 2E2 Tax receipts will be issued by EERO in 2023 for the above donations. New Credit Card or PayPal donations can be done on the EERO donation page at Canada Helps. Canada Helps issues a tax receipt to these donors and transfers the donations weekly to the EERO Ukrainian Refugee account at Northern Birch Credit Union. Link: https://www. canadahelps.org/en/dn/70820 A huge thank-you to all our donors, to those who are planning their own fundraisers and to everyone who is helping to spread the word! EERO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ESTONIAN LIFE
