Dangerously close to the border.... It's in the Donesk region recently declared "independent" by Putin. Effectively occupied I should think.
We've got two. Schwäbisch Gmünd in Germany we've had for years. It's such a beautiful town and they treat Barnsley people like Gods. I was there in 1983 and I will go back. It's amazing. Horlivka I can't speak about from personal experience. We twinned with them during the miner's strike. Lots of Barnsley residents went there and from what I've heard they're amazing people and we owe a them a hell of a lot. Let's rekindle what they gave to us during that time. I've got a spare room, I can take on a family.
Sadly things aren't looking good. Horlivka is in Donetsk province.... DONETSK. Feb 25 (Interfax) - Two teachers have been killed in an artillery strike on a school in Horlivka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), Horlivka Mayor Ivan Prikhodko said. "Two teachers were killed in an attack on School No. 50," Prikhodko said on social media on Friday. According to updated information from the DPR mission to the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC), "another civilian has been injured and is receiving medical attendance."
I live alone in a 4 bedroom home, if there was a scheme to fetch Ukrainians over here then my door is open. Hope our Ukrainian brothers and sisters are ok.
It’s hard to get tone across in text and I’m not saying this to be catty or sarcastic. There are lots of refugees that need help currently who have fled other war zones if you are able to help. Check out this website that has a fantastic FAQ. They do short term placements for registered asylum seekers who have been granted the right to remain who would otherwise end up on the streets. As the placements are short term (sometimes days to months), you would be able to help lots of people. https://www.refugeesathome.org/how-it-works/
Except it's in a 100% Russian speaking area, so absolutely nobody calls it "Horlivka". It's Gorlovka to the locals, in the same way that nobody outside of the western islands would ever call Scotland "Alba".
This must be the finest, bravest and most human post ever. You shame us all, though I believe deeply in the honest humanity of the other posts.
I’ve been trying to do some research on the town and spoken to a couple of Ukrainians on Twitter. Seems like it’s been under the control of Russian forces on and off since 2014 and is a pro-Russian forces area. Their football team ceased to exist around 2000 after dropping out of the top divisions. I was planning to make contact with the football club, or a football club, to try and start a fundraiser of some sorts between our club and theirs. Speaking to a Ukrainian football expert based in London he advised against making any contact due to the Russian presence. Even the story shared above about the school says that was caused by the Ukrainian military shelling the town.
I met a visiting party of them in 1990. Absolutely the most polite and courteous people I’ve ever met. So friendly and down to earth. I was expecting Ivan Drago type people(as was the popular stereotype of the time). I got shy, friendly, caring and polite people. I would love to visit, when everything is sorted and Russia finds a moral compass. Hopefully soon.