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People around the world are lending financial support to Ukrainians amid Russia’sinvasionof the country — thanks toAirbnb.
On March 2, a social media user beganencouragingtheir followers to book rooms to rent through Airbnb in Ukraine — not with the intention of visiting, but with the goal of helping local hosts receive immediate financial help during the war.
Within just two days, guests booked more than 61,000 nights in Ukraine, grossing more than $2 million, an Airbnb spokesperson toldNPR. Airbnb hosts typically receive their payments about 24 hours after the guests' check-in time.
Volodymyr Bondarenko, who lives in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, toldCNNthat he was shocked to see his Airbnb being booked.
“More than 10 bookings came in today. This was surprising, it’s very supportive at the moment,” Bondarenko, 36, said. “I told many of my relatives and friends that I plan to use this money to help our people who need it at this time.”
Ekaterina Martiusheva, another Ukrainian Airbnb host, said the bookings mean a lot, tellingNPR, “These days we do not have any income. We do not have any right to ask our country to help us, because all the country’s resources are for the war and for the victory.”
Vadim Ghirda/AP
“The messages in response from the hosts are so moving.” The tweet has garnered 13,500 retweets and 41,7000 likes.
The gesture gained even more traction when the Airbnb Chief Executive Brian Cheskyretweetedthe post about the campaign.
Russia’sattack on Ukrainecontinues after their forces launched a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24 — the first major land conflict in Europe in decades.
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With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyycalled for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.
Putin insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and he is acting in the best security interests of his country. Zelenskyy vowed not to bend.
“Nobody is going to break us, we’re strong, we’re Ukrainians,“he told the European Unionin a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, “Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness.”
source: people.com
