https://developers.slashdot.org/story/22/03/17/2042232/a-ruby-developers-life-in-kharkiv-ukraine
In an interview with The Register, Victor Shepelev, a Ruby developer and software architect who lives in Kharkiv, Ukraine, shares his experience living in a country being invaded by Russia. He hopes that his situation will encourage international political action to help Ukraine prevail. Here’s an excerpt from the interview: The Register: Has your technical knowledge proven useful in your current situation and if so in what way?
Shepelev: Not directly, unfortunately. I am mostly experienced in writing expressive code, designing architectures of long-living systems, and mentoring people, not the most required abilities in wartime.
The Register: Does the Ruby/open source community provide community and support in wartime? Should it function any differently than it has in the context of a crisis?
Shepelev: Sad to say, but I don’t feel much support. There are some people in my social circles in the Ruby community who do a lot, but as for the community as a whole, I think it stays mostly indifferent. My pleas to spread the information are by and large ignored. Maybe I am being selfish here, but I see that even small steps that could be done (like banners on sites of big projects, tweets from prominent Rubyists, mentions in newsletters) — those steps aren’t done even by a lot of people I know personally. I know some of them are sending money or helping in some other private ways, but I really lack the feeling of public support, people still mostly think it is some “politics they shouldn’t mix with their everyday life.” There are others, of course, and to them, I am eternally grateful.
The Register: Is there anything else you’d want people outside Ukraine to know?
Shepelev: We are standing, and we will not fall. But we need as much help as the world can give: with spreading information, with supporting the Ukrainian army, refugees, and humanitarian causes, and with pressuring Russia with any measures that are available. The more help we get, the sooner it will end, the less innocent people struggle or die.