Hugo & Nebula Awards: Best Novels discussion

One of our mods (Z) is Ukrainian and I've been thinking about him as Russia has moved towards attacking his country. I want to say that I hope you and your family and friends stay safe, Z.

Thank you Kalin, for opening this thread.

I also send my strongest and best wishes for your safety, and the safety of your family and friends, Z. You are all in our thoughts.

I've been thinking about Oleksandr the whole morning. I hope he is safe.

Thoughts are indeed firmly on all of Ukraine at the moment. Unconscionable.

All of my sympathies (and empathy) from Finland. And wishes for your safety and for a fast resolve.

I'm feeling impotent rage: it seems so unbelievably wrong that dictators like Putin and Lukašenka can just launch an attack against completely innocent people, for the crime that they wanted to create their own destiny. I thought imperialism was dead and buried, but I guess not.

I can imagine that Oleksadr has more important things to do today than browse Goodreads, but I, too, hope like hell he's going to be okay, while knowing that things will not be "okay" in a long long while. War is hell.

I’ve been thinking about Oleksandr too! Hope you are well, friend. My deepest sympathies.

Gabi wrote: "I've been thinking about Oleksandr the whole morning. I hope he is safe."

Same.

Hi all!
Currently, me and my family are safe. Thanks for your concern, it is a good boost for my morale!

💕🙏

Oleksandr wrote: "Hi all!
Currently, me and my family are safe. Thanks for your concern, it is a good boost for my morale!"

OMG! So great to hear from you, Oleksandr ... we are so helpless here and can't stop thinking of your people.

Wonderful to hear you and your family are safe Z, please know that so many of us are outraged by what is happening to your country. My hope is that our governments will come to support Ukraine and bring about a return to peace.

More than half my team at work are working from Kyiv. Sergey, Sergii, Roman, Viacheslav, Igor, .... This is gonna be tough. Hope they are all OK. Frustrated that hoping is all I can do.

What Viacheslav and I are working on recently is getting a program ready for translation so it can be sold in Europe. We have to translate into about 12 languages, including Romanian and Latvian.

Will Europe still be the same by the time we're done?

Oleksandr wrote: "Hi all!
Currently, me and my family are safe. Thanks for your concern, it is a good boost for my morale!"

Very glad to hear from you, Z, and very glad you're safe. We're all with you on the side of sanity, and hope that it can be resolved favorably and quickly.

So glad to hear you and the family are safe! We have been thinking about you all non-stop, along with our other friends and acquaintances across the country. Hoping for an end to this madness and a swift return to peace.

That is great to hear that you and yours are currently ok. I hope it brings you some peace to know that you’ve got our support, from friends all over the globe.

Update. I'm still ok, at least as good as I can be in the circumstances. There is a serious possibility that occupants will destroy infrastructure, incl. power lines, so I can be offline for days, so do not worry excessively.

Putin planned for a Blitzkrieg, tried to take an airport near Kyiv to allow using it as a supply point for a fast attack by spec ops. They were stopped by Ukrainian reservists, but now started a land attack with tanks from Belarus (less than 100 km to Kyiv. Currently, they are stopped, but it seems they'll try airstrike to soften our defense.
Peace to all, death to occupants!

I'm horrified by Russia's actions but emboldened by Ukrainians' brave resistance. Слава Україні!

But today, most of all, I'm ashamed by the cowardly actions of our so-called leaders in the EU. They keep posing as if they're doing something, while declining to hit Russia with severe enough consequences that it would really hurt. It makes me want to scream.

Antti wrote: "But today, most of all, I'm ashamed by the cowardly actions of our so-called leaders in the EU. They keep posing as if they're doing something, while declining to hit Russia with severe enough consequences that it would really hurt. It makes me want to scream."

I'm so ashamed by that. I dearly hope this decision will be changed in the next days.

Is there a such thing as "severe enough consequences" that doesn't include military action? Russia doesn't seem too bothered by sanctions.

It's an unfortunate situation, but we can respect European nations for not wanting to commit soldiers, starting a full-fledged war. That may be the morally correct course of action, but it comes at a grave geopolitical and financial cost.

My praise goes to your soldiers, facing an overwhelming force. Their sacrifices will not be in vain, for their bravery will inspire others to fight on, by whatever means and for however long it takes.

Stay safe and survive!

I am frustrated at the international response - I want stronger intense painful impact to Russia to stop this now. Thoughts with you and all the brave people of Ukraine.

Update. Still safe. A bit on nerves, refreshing news sites to check on updates... yesterday and today there were some bangs heard but far enough not to see flashes. Russia tries to take airfields around Kyiv to 'jump over' defenders, but so far all such attacks are repelled. Rusian mechanized columns are also if not stopped then at least severely slowed.

Thank you for keeping in touch, Oleksandr. I hope you and yours will keep staying out of the danger zone.

Glad you’re still safe! I’m horrified by what’s happening. Know that you are in my thoughts and on my heart.

Update. Still safe. another tank column drives toward Kyiv, this night civilians, incl. children died from selling, but where I'm is relatively calm. Despite the heroic defensive actions, which halted most advances (from the lack of supplies in Russian invading forces, they haven't prepared for an operation longer than a few days) the situation remains hard

You are all in our minds. It's great to hear of you through these updates. Hoping it keeps calm where you're at.

Thanks for letting us know how you are Z.

Thanks for posting this thread, Kalin.
Although I haven't reacted here yet, I do follow the updates.

Always relieved to hear you're okay, Oleksandr.
We're all here to support you.
Big hug.

Jemppu wrote: "You are all in our minds. It's great to hear of you through these updates. Hoping it keeps calm where you're at."

Keeping calm is hard :) I had some work scheduled to finish by the end of the month, but instead of doing it, I scroll news or think what to do if that crazy tzar decides to use nuclear arsenal, seeing how futile his conventional attack has been... this stops work for sure

Oleksandr wrote: "...Keeping calm is hard :) I had some work scheduled to finish by the ..."

For sure, I can imagine. (I've been unable to turn away from viewing the news as they roll in, too - as have many it seems). I simultaneously hope you get to stay connected to the news/world, and also have opportunity for some rest from them. Also, that you have any and all necessary supplies.

Oleksandr wrote: "I had some work scheduled to finish by the end of the month, but instead of doing it, I scroll news or think what to do if that crazy tzar decides to use nuclear arsenal"

I'm on the other side of the Atlantic and am doing the same thing. Can't concentrate on my work, just keep refreshing the news hoping to see that they've realized their mistake and pulled back.

And meanwhile, in the US, instead of presenting a unified front to the dictator, the finger-pointing magnifies as the right tries to turn this to their advantage, Putin is praised by the former President, and Biden is blamed for everything, while Ukraine fights for its life. It’s just disgusting.

Update. Still safe. Thanks everyone for your continuing support! According to today's news the situation more or less stabilized, even if there is a new massing up of aircraft (fighters, transport planes, helicopters) in Belarus, maybe trying another aerial attack

Oleksandr wrote: "Update. Still safe. Thanks everyone for your continuing support! According to today's news the situation more or less stabilized, even if there is a new massing up of aircraft (fighters, transport ..."

So glad to hear that you're still safe, Oleksandr! 🤗
Was just reading the news, which is something I otherwise seldom do. But now - just like the others here - I follow it very closely and refresh it constantly.

Thank you so much that you keep us updated about you, Oleksandr. I couldn't sleep for the 4th night, constantly checking news. And I'm not even immediately concerned. My thoughts are with your people constantly.

Kyiv holds, the ruble folds!

I got to say our European leaders managed to positively surprise me: after the initial hemming and hawing and wringing of hands they found their spines during the weekend and put together major economic sanctions against Russia. And on top of that, they are now sending pretty large amounts of military materiel to Ukraine, up to and including fighter jets! That's... much better than I anticipated.

I personally donated what I could to help the defence. Ukraine's brave resistance in the face of tyranny is an inspiration to the whole continent.

Saw a picture from a reported on Twitter yesterday of a man named Olexsandr and my thoughts jumped immediately to you, Z! Not that my thoughts are far in any case. Like everyone here, I am now a news junkie, constantly listening to or reading updates on the situation in Ukraine. I found some ways to donate, and wish I could do more. We are standing with Ukraine. 🇺🇦

Glad to hear you are doing alright Z, thank you for these updates. I’ve been so impressed with the Ukrainian people and leadership these past few days. The bravery, perseverance, and unity on display is a model for us all.

Thanks all! I'm still safe even if just a few minutes back there has been another airstrike alarm, which (just to show how safe I am) prevented my usual evening walk, but so far all hits in other districts.

Oleksandr wrote: "... another airstrike alarm, which (just to show how safe I am) prevented my usual evening walk ..."

It's nice to still hear your usual calm and pragmatic 'you' here, Oleksandr 😄
Hang in there!

Update. Still safe. A brief description about how civilian life looks like. I'm in the centre of Kyiv, so I hope relatively safe from selling (esp. bearing in mind 5 embassies within 1 km around me). Yesterday France's embassy evacuated. On Sunday all civilian was banned for going outside - there were seek and destroy patrols hunting Russian saboteurs (some were planted it is assumed even before the hot phase), so on Monday people rushed to stores, chiefly for food and water. So far there is no fear of hunger (here, there are problems closer to the frontline), but of course, it is another thing to worry about. A lot of people left the city, yesterday counted a number of occupied flats in my building, roughly half are empty, but I live in upper-middle-income part, I guess poorer districts are more full. Almost no cars on roads. Surprisingly, there aren't a lot of armed militaries on the streets, possibly again closer to the frontlines

Great to hear from someone on the ground there. Thanks for the updates. I can't imagine what you and your countryfellows are going through.

Intense, some of the footage coming in of the shellings (Kharkiv mainly?). Dearly hoping the action continues to keep away from your neighborhood.

Jemppu wrote: "Intense, some of the footage coming in of the shellings (Kharkiv mainly?). Dearly hoping the action continues to keep away from your neighborhood."

Yes, in places, where Russian artillery, incl. missile systems in close enough (up to 20 km) they actively shell cities, with no targets, just covering with fire.

There is massive brainwashing in Russia, starting from the very top. On Feb 26 they had an article on official media website that already sang praise to Putin and his victories in Ukraine - they took it down but the internet remembers everything - here is a dump, which you may Google translate to see their skewed worldview (the GR disallows links, you may google "Наступление России и нового мира"
2 hours ago they bombed Kyiv Television Tower, killing 5 and wounding 5 more - they seriously think that we are brainwashed

The bombing of TV-tower had me immediately thinking how for some it might've been their last touch to outside their homes (especially with the curfews), and possibly a heavy strike on morale.

It's pretty clear to anyone outside the reach of Russian state propaganda, how Putin's weaving their own narrative. The words they had just before the invasion were outright absurd for non-Russian viewers (and I'm sure to a lot of Russians too).

Absurd indeed. Unfortunately state propaganda makes a lot of Russians believe in their shitty narrative. Independent media getting banned. There is no war. WTF!!!

Relieved to hear you're still safe, Oleksandr. You and your family are in my thoughts.

Update. Still safe.

Dennis wrote: "Absurd indeed. Unfortunately state propaganda makes a lot of Russians believe in their shitty narrative. Independent media getting banned"

Yes, the fresh poll (even if one can question its quality) shows 68% support of Russian actions by Russians, many claim that it is a defensive (!) operation. This may change as thousands will find out their sons and husbands died in what they expected will be an easy walk

Is there any way for Russians to get accurate news? It seems most TV news and newspapers is controlled by the government. But most Russians these days have internet access; is it mostly uncensored? Or do Russians get online news from the same sort of government-controlled sources?

From what I'm hearing social media is mostly blocked. I assume it's the same for news coverage. People can bypass this by using a VPN though.

Roskomnadzor - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal...