March 16, 2022

By Olivia Mizelle

Photo by Cara Penquite

When Russia launched their first attack on Ukraine on Feb. 24, senior Matthew Jansen said he was inspired to take action from over 5,000 miles away. 

Jansen organized a sale in Speakers Circle on March 4, from which all proceeds would go to the United Nations’ Ukraine Humanitarian Fund. He bought the supplies for Ukrainian flag-colored ribbons himself and made them by hand, and auctioned up his own Apple HomePod Mini. The ribbons were sold for a dollar and the auction tickets for $5. 

“I was thinking about being selfless rather than being selfish in a time of crisis,” Jansen said.

Jansen was born in Moscow, Russia, but moved to the U.S. at the age of 3. Even though he has spent most of his life living in the U.S., he has abundant connections in Europe from his time studying abroad in Germany in January 2020. He said hearing about the experience of friends in Europe made the danger seem more real to him.

Ukrainian exchange student Vlad Sazhen came to the sale. Sazhen’s family is back in Ukraine, and he said he can’t return home until the semester is over. He said he is hopeful to return in May, but for now tries to provide information to his family by following the conflict from his computer.

“You don’t know how you can help your family,” Sazhen said. “My task is to mostly monitor the situation and help them coordinate … which [path] is better to use if they are planning to evacuate.”

Another Columbia resident with ties to both MU and Ukraine is Professor Emeritus Russell Zguta, who taught Russian and Ukrainian history at MU before retiring five years ago. Zguta bought a ribbon to show his support for Ukraine and said he was saddened and depressed by the conflict. He has multiple cousins he has lost touch with who live in Ukraine, one of whom lives in the city of Odessa, which has recently been invaded by Russia.

“My feeling is that if I don’t respond to people reaching out to me, in a way I’m complicit with Putin,” Zguta said.

Jansen said he believes MU students, regardless of whether they have Ukrainian connections, should care about the crisis because it is not an isolated event, and people in the U.S. are already feeling some of the impact with rising gas prices and threats of study abroad trips being canceled. Jansen is also feeling the impact: He is planning to move to London next year to pursue his master’s degree in international relations and is unsure if that will still happen due to the instability in Europe.

He also expressed his empathy for the people living in Ukraine because there are students and people there who are trying to get an education or accomplish their goals, just like there are in the U.S.

“[Ukrainians] are people, and they’re students, and they’re trying to make a life of their own,” Jansen said. “It would be hard and devastating to pursue your goals if your country is under attack.”

Jansen made a total of $230 at the sale. He said his ultimate goal is that the money he donates is able to help at least one Ukrainian family, whether that is by providing them food or somewhere to sleep. He hopes peace talks are coming and that the war does not continue to escalate. Even if conflict does continue to escalate, he said he remains on Ukraine’s side.

“I stand with the Ukrainians, and I hope you do too,” Jansen said.

Edited by Emmet Jamieson | ejamieson@themaneater.com