As I sit down to write the newsletter for this week, I feel it's increasingly important to hold space for the tragic reports coming out of Europe and Ukraine. I've been having a difficult time sleeping and staying focused on anything else at the moment, and I'm sure many of you can echo that sentiment. So with that said, instead of our usual programming, I thought I’d share a few thoughts in light of all the horrific events taking place right now.
But first, some context…
Having been born in Moscow in the early 80’s, I was one of the “chosen” few million that was lucky enough to escape when I was six years old. As much as I’d like to take all the credit, I have my parents to thank for that decision. They were smart enough to bust the move while they could but from what I can remember, it wasn’t all bad...
November 1990 (7 months after arriving in the US)
The 80’s were the dawn of the Soviet Union's golden age - the era of Gorbachev, Glasnost and Perestroika. A time when the country was undergoing (relative) privatization, liberalization of markets, and, to a certain extent, freedom of speech - Western artists such as Elton John, Queen, David Bowie and others were allowed to give performances in Moscow’s Red Square and St Petersburg.
Now, don’t get any ideas, you still required a coupon (along with a few rubles) to go out and buy bread, toilet paper and other essentials, but there were a lot less shortages on the shelves compared to years prior. And if you lived in the nation’s capital, then you were really in for a treat. Should you happen to have walked into a store, you might have been lucky enough to find a pair of shoes that fit, or matched both your right and left foot. But the ratio of shoe repair shops to actual shoe stores were somewhere around 10:1.
People queuing in front of a bakery, Getty Images.
Fast forward to 1990. McDonald’s opened up its first corporate-owned franchise behind the iron curtain, where the line to get in stretched well over 10 city blocks! Little did they know that, a year later, that curtain would come tumbling down and other American franchises would follow in Mickey-Dee’s footsteps. This couldn't happen however until McDonalds had built its own chicken coops outside of Moscow to bring the quality of chicken up to American standards.
Chicken coops notwithstanding, the 90’s were a tumultuous period. Most people lost what little savings, jobs and stability they had - but more importantly, the Iron Wall came crumbling down. This meant that all the republics Russia had held onto during the Soviet era declared independence (including Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia and many others). It was this very traumatic event that formed the psyche of our dear comrade and Hitler protege, Vladimir Putin, who, as a KGB spy, happened to be stationed and later let go in East Berlin at the time.
Queues around the first McDonald’s in Moscow on its opening day. Photograph: Anonymous/AP.
While I’m not going to get into all the reasons why he is who is, I will say that what we are dealing with is a man with an enormous set of ambitions and an equally enormous chip on his shoulder. Once you start to peel apart and understand some of his flaws, fears and insecurities, you start to understand the “WHY".
Despite the "why", none of it is any excuse to invade a sovereign nation, attack innocent civilians, bomb churches, synagogues and hospitals and completely lay waste to cities and towns, all in the name of “denazification”. As if anyone outside of Russia buys into that BS anyway. But that’s all fodder for his domestic audience, not the West.
Old Church in Kiev, Ukraine
Much like with many things, life is about making sacrifices. Unfortunately, like Stalin and other Soviet leaders before him, Putin is more than willing to sacrifice his own people and neighbors (whom he likes to refer to as “brothers”) to restore the former glory of his nation. And that's what we are seeing today.
I'm sorry to bring the conversation to such a sour note but I can’t help but think about all those innocent people who are out in the freezing cold, with no heat, electricity, hot water nor a roof over their heads. Individuals who just want to live a life of peace. Reflecting on these thoughts lead me to think: what can I/we possibly do to help?
Here is the best answer I could come up with:
From here on out, every single client will have the option to donate whatever amount they like to any causes that help those displaced by this tragedy, or who are fighting for independence from Putin’s aggression. That amount will be matched, therefore you will get an equal amount deducted from my fee up to the entire amount.
So, for example, if your fee is $5000, instead of paying me, you can choose to donate the entire amount to one of the worthy causes below (or select an alternative charity of choice, so long as it helps Ukraine and is vetted and qualified) you get the amount as credit on your broker fee bill.
What’s more is that your donation is completely tax deductible. But I’m no accountant so you might want to talk to one to make sure that that’s the case.
In any event, in lieu of payment, you can donate the entire broker fee to any one of the causes below, get a tax deduction and not have to pay me or my team anything!
Please help me support those in real need!
DONATE TO HELP UKRAINE:
Ukrainian Red Cross Society is collecting donations to help those in need affected by armed conflict, blood collection, mobilization of volunteers and resources and more
United Help Ukraine is receiving and distributing donations, food, and medical supplies to internally displaced Ukrainians and families
Nova Ukraine is bringing humanitarian aid to vulnerable populations in Ukraine
Save the Children is delivering lifesaving aid to vulnerable children in Ukraine and around the world