Almost 100 people rallied outside the Russian representative office in Taipei yesterday for a third time in the past five days, urging Moscow to call off its invasion of Ukraine and for Taiwan to make donations to help the Ukrainian people.
Backed by a coalition of human rights groups, Ukrainians living in Taiwan highlighted allegations that the Russian military was committing human rights abuses by attacking hospitals and ambulances after it invaded Ukraine on Thursday last week.
“We all know that our children are our future, so Ukrainian children, Ukraine’s future, at this moment are being born in shelters underground because our enemies are even shooting at hospitals and ambulances,” Vadym Komisar said.
Photo: CNA
Describing the Russian military as having no mercy, Komisar called for the international community to step up its donations to finance purchases of food, daily necessities and medical supplies to help Ukrainians hiding underground because of Russian bombs.
“If you don’t want to support the war or army, support us with medicine. It’s so important, we accept everything and all kind of help possible,” Komisar said.
Another Ukrainian, Tanya Polyak, also urged people to make donations, as some civilians do not have enough food to eat.
She said it might be difficult to deliver food from Taiwan, but Taiwanese can donate money so that people would be able to deliver goods from Poland.
Polyak urged Taiwanese not to do business with Russia or buy Russian products.
“All the money that you use to buy Russian [products] turns into bullets,” Polyak said.
The government last week announced that it would follow the US and others, including the EU, Japan, Australia, Canada, the UK and New Zealand, by implementing sanctions against Russia.
Late on Monday, the government flew about 27 tonnes of medical supplies to Frankfurt, Germany, on a flight that left Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport at 11:50pm, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The shipment is to be transferred to Ukraine through an appropriate channel after it arrives in Germany, it said.
The first batch of supplies from Taiwan consists of medications and medical devices, the ministry said, without providing further details.
Taiwan Association for Human Rights secretary-general Shih Yi-hsiang (施逸翔) said Taiwanese stand with Ukrainians, and more than 166 Taiwanese organizations have signed a petition urging the Russian invasion of Ukraine to cease.
The petition, launched on Friday last week, urges the Russian government to immediately end its invasion of Ukraine, withdraw its troops and assume responsibility for its breaches of international law, Shih said.
A Central News Agency reporter contacted the Russian office by telephone after the rally, but the office said it was not aware of any rally and had not received a petition.
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