Blue and yellow coloured Poland, thank you!

November 11 is Poland's “birthday”, that is, its Independence Day. And I would very much like Ukraine to organize a flash mob on this day and color itself white and red. To express gratitude for the fact that the Poles are firmly standing by us and helping us during Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Although it is hard for them as well. Prices in stores are rising. Electricity and gas bills are rising. Reductions are underway. I myself witnessed a staff meeting in one of the Polish newsrooms, where they were to announce who would be out of job. But the Poles still stand with us. Like Robert, who still keeps an apartment for Karina Potapenko and Kateryna Chekmezova. Just in case. If, God forbid, they had to flee from Ukraine once again.

This is an amazing story, how a person who, had never met me, or even more so my acquaintances, accepted them as family. Robert wrote to me on Facebook after seeing my report on one of the Polish TV channels about the situation in Ukraine. Every time I appeared on Polish TV, I received many such messages from various Poles - with words of support, sympathy, with questions about whether I am safe, whether everything is okay with my relatives, what is the best way to donate, and what else they can do to help.

Robert was one of those who offered to house me. I thanked. And then this proposal just slipped my mind. But when Karina and Kateryna and their children, tortured and frightened, with white flags made of a shredded sheet, were leaving Bucha, I wrote to him. And he agreed to house them.

I wish you could have seen the video of Karina and Kateryna talking at Robert's big family gathering about Bucha in Ukrainian and showing its pre-war photos. "Piękne miasto (Beautiful city),” replies Robert's wife in Polish. But they all understand each other!

And thus, I urge Ukraine to thank Robert and all other Poles, who are helping us resist Russia for the 9th month now, on November 11 - on the Independence Day of their country. To express gratitude for the fact that they help us defend our Independence - let's color Ukraine white and red on November 11! Let's take a picture with the Polish flag or in white and red clothes, write #dziękujemyPolsko or #życzeniadlaPolski, or record a video with these words. This is the minimum that we can do now, while the war is still ongoing!

About the author: Lesya Vakulyuk, Ukrainian journalist and anchorwoman