War in Ukraine - Consul General in Munich complains: "We are victims of barbarism"

Created: 02/25/2022, 20:48

By: Claudia Schuri

Yuriy Yarmilko has been Consul General in Munich for four years.

© Jens Hartmann

The Ukrainian consulate general in Munich has been in existence for 30 years - and it has never been as bad as it is now.

But despite all the war worries, the Consul General emphasizes that hope is alive.

Munich - Tulips and candles lie at the entrance of the seemingly inconspicuous building on Lessingstrasse (Ludwigsvorstadt*).

They are expressions of solidarity - because here the war in Ukraine is very close.

Dozens of letters and phone calls are received by the Consulate General of Ukraine every day.

"Many people are asking how they can support us," reports Consul General Yuriy Yarmilko.

There were even offers to help with the defense.

He emphasizes: "Signs of solidarity are important to us."

In Munich, for example, the flags of Europe, Ukraine and the Mayors for Peace are hung on the town hall.

At the weekend, from 6 p.m., the town hall will also be lit up in the national colors of Ukraine.

The Olympic Tower is also illuminated.

War in Munich: Consul General “so far cannot believe what is happening”

More than 7,000 people with Ukrainian passports live in Munich* and Kiev is a sister city.

The Ukrainian consulate general in Munich has been in existence for 30 years – it was the first to open after Ukraine gained independence.

30,000 Ukrainians from Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg are registered there as consular.

Consul General Yarmilko has been in Munich* for four years, before that he worked in the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He found out about the invasion during the night.

"It was a surprise for me too," says the diplomat.

"I still can't believe what's happening."

It is a war against European values

Consul General Yuriy Yarmilko

Yarmilko has many acquaintances and relatives in Kiev.

"We talk every day if possible," he says.

"Everyone is very worried." The Ukrainians' striving for freedom would be punished with tanks and rockets.

"We are victims of barbarism," laments the diplomat.

"It is a war against European values, against the civilized world."

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War in Ukraine: request for supplies such as bandages and fuel

The consul is in contact with German politicians and the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

He encounters a lot of understanding, he reports.

"Without support from all over the world, we cannot stand against such a powerful aggressor," Yarmilko said.

Defensive weapons, tough sanctions, but also bandages and fuel – that's what he wants from other countries.

Giving up is not an option, he emphasizes: "People are afraid, but still hope."

Meanwhile, there were renewed anti-war demonstrations on Friday.

The pillars at the entrance to the Russian Consulate General were sprayed with red paint.