This morning, our colleagues from RTL 5minutes contacted Inna Yaremenko-Blies from the non-profit organisation 'LUkraine' to talk about how she and other Ukrainians here in Luxembourg are experiencing the unfolding conflict in their home country.

Inna explained that emotions in the Ukrainian community are strong and that they are already mobilising to denounce this war and judge the international community for their weak actions. "I'm sorry, but it's difficult for me to concentrate and write at the moment... my hands are shaking", she apologised in conversation over social media on Thursday morning.

Inna has been living and working in Luxembourg for four years. She is also a member of the administrative council of LUkraine, a non-profit community of Ukrainians here in the Grand Duchy: "There are around 2,000 Ukrainians living in Luxembourg. Our organisation has existed since 2014, since the moment when Russia started its war in Ukraine. During this period, we have sent equipment and medicines to the war zone."

Protest scheduled for 12.30 p.m.

During her conversation with RTL 5minutes, Inna announced that a protest will take place at Place Clairefontaine at 12.30 p.m. on Thursday, even though LUkaine was still waiting for approval from the municipality of Luxembourg City when she conveyed this. "We want to ask all of Luxembourg to join us, because this is not only a war in Ukraine, but one at the very borders of Europe", stressed Inna.

Since the invasion was announced, the international community has been at a boiling point. In the European Union, Russia's behaviour has been deemed "intolerable" and unprecedented sanctions have been announced.

The Ukrainian community in Luxembourg is already busy with concrete steps, explained Inna: "A few days ago, we launched an appeal for donations. We will purchase medical equipment and send it to Ukraine. This was very useful the last time we did it."

When asked about international sanctions, Inna expressed her views that they evidently fail to bring about any result: "Putin doesn't care about sanctions! They are not severe enough, and furthermore, we know that the real game changer is gas, which is why nobody in Europe will act."

Family members in Ukraine are "hearing the bombs"

Inna also conveyed details about the experiences from her family of the crisis in Ukraine: "My sister lives in Kiev and my parents in the Sumy region, close to the Russian border. They are hearing the bombs. My sister tried to leave the city but the train stations are crowded, it is difficult to go anywhere. She will stay home and try to find a bomb shelter in case a worst case scenario comes to pass..."

Inna conveyed that Ukrainian officials are urging the population to remain calm: "They say 'don't panic' and that 'we were prepared for a situation like this'."

Inna concluded by sharing a message that she just received from her mother: "We see a lot of military vehicles going in the direction of Kiev. It's the Ukrainian Army. They will protect Kiev."