The main question
Dear friend! What I am writing here is beyond business communications and ethics. At war, when death is near, business ethics have no power. And the thoughts coming to the head are unique. I think that they can be valuable and can benefit those who live in a peaceful environment, in comfort and safety. The fear of death helps to ask yourself the main question in a new way: “OK. If that’s all, am I ready?“
Another time
At war, time flows differently. Time is different here. Daily activities lose their meaning. You are busy with your survival and other things. Also there are times when you can’t do anything or respond to letters or calls just because your heart is broken from the pain of what is happening. Also war gives the question: “What will happen to me if I die?” It chills the soul, it makes you numb. It tears the human essence and strength is fading away. One wants to switch off. Or to go to sleep. Or to get drunk and forget about reality. In an ordinary, well-fed, measured, tense, responsible business life, this issue fades to the third plan. But here the fear of death is right in front of one’s eyes. It gets to the face. It is breaking into the soul and mind. It binds. No one wants to die. Everyone wants to live, to save and protect oneself. But the mind and experience are saying that anyone can die. And here is where the most important question comes – what would happen if I die? Is that all? I have found my answer to this question in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection! It is vital now and beyond. But that’s not all yet! Life during the war blooms with new colors. To have these thoughts, colours and events I pay my price. If any of this can help you, I’m glad to bring it to you!
War in Ukraine
I woke up at 5 am on February 24, 2022 Kyiv time on my bed from the sound of explosions. The explosions were of terrible force and were heard at intervals of several minutes.One by one. The gray morning sky was dyed with a fiery pink glow. Glowing moths of ruptures flew over the glow. My wife asked me: “What is this?” I understood what it was. But I wanted to deny it, put it off and not let it be in my life and ours. The mind simply refused to believe it. Explosions continued. The thought came to read the newsline – what is it banging around? But there was no need – I understood everything without news. My wife understood as well. We knelt down and began to pray to God that He would save us, our children, relatives, employees, friends and all Ukrainians. For God to protect our Country from the invasion. Everything became clear – Russia attacked Ukraine. Hearts crushed and melted away. We have a war. It became scary and dark.
What to do
My first day was dedicated to learning how to deal with my fear. Fear for my life and for the lives of my beloved ones. I have to be prepared for the worst, but I will gladly accept the best scenarios. The first question is where we should be. Believe me, I’ve thought about this a lot. I had consulted with reasonable people. And I saw no reason for myself to leave my country.
This is our land! This is our country! We are protected by the Ukrainian army! Why should I run from here? Here is our home, here is our work, here are the graves of our fathers, here are our mothers alive. After all, we are peaceful people, and the truth is on our side. After all, even the president of the Russian Federation promised security to the Ukrainian people! But I understood a long time ago – to believe in politicians is a thankless task, they have their own vision of reality and their own truth. I was also frightened by the past interaction of the Ukrainian people with the Soviet Union – my grandmother survived from the famine in Ukraine in 1932-1933, while her 13 brothers and sisters died of starvation. Thirteen died! It was at the beginning of Ukraine’s being in the USSR. Therefore, I understood that meeting with the liberators could be different. After weighing all the pros and cons, praying to God, having consulted, our family decided to stay in Ukraine.
Rescuing mother-in-law
My mother-in-law lived in the village of Mikhailovka-Rubezhivka, 12 kilometers from the Gostomel military transport airport. Born in the city of Gus-Khrustalny, Vladimir Region of Russia. She has lived in Ukrainian Lviv and Kyiv. She gave birth to 2 children here. All of them spoke Russian. She had no infringement here speaking Russian, having lived here for more than 50 years!. Everything was fine with my mother-in-law. Until the morning of February 24th, 2022. I called her in the morning and asked – “Are you OK?” She said everything is fine – I have a day off, I will watch a movie and do household chores. In the evening there were already bombings and shelling. Residents hid in the basement of a multi-storey building – not a bomb shelter! Potentially, this could be a mass grave. The next day we realized that we could not take my mother-in-law out of there. We began to pray for her rescue and called everyone we knew from that side. 2 days of such work bore fruit – 2 local residents handled the mother-in-law out of shelter to the nearest metro station in Kyiv. Then she took the subway that was operating only under the ground, took a taxi, and was delivered to the arranged place where I took her with my friend in a car. Next we passed a large number of block posts and 15 minutes before the curfew, we managed to get into our yard. My mother-in-law Vera was born again! Now there is no connection with her village. Evacuations too. We rejoiced and thanked God!
About me
I grew up in the USSR. I served in military service in the USSR and Ukraine. Former athlete. I have 2 higher educations. One of which I received in English. I live in Ukraine. I have traveled to many countries around the world for work. I have something to compare. I read news feeds from Russia, Ukraine, USA, Germany in Russian, Ukrainian and English. My parents taught me to work, to do good and to love. Not to lie or steal. And treat people kindly, no matter what nationality the person is facing you. My father was a mining engineer. He built mines in the USSR and abroad. He was Russian and lived with his family in the Donbass and Kyiv. That is why I know what Donbass is and what Kyiv is. I was born there and am living here. My mother was a mining rock processing engineer, she is from Ukrainian peasants. Singing, hardworking and big hearted people. Ukrainian. My mother’s father, my grandfather, died during World War II defending the USSR. So may no one tell me about Ukraine, Donbass and so on. I’m from here. This is my homeland. I can tell myself. From the original source, not from paper. And one more thing – during our work in the Corrugated Industry, we, as a team, have shown you, our dear readers and partners, that we, the publishing house, respect you, do not lie, but tell the truth. And always tried to do our best. Therefore, I really hope that what I am writing here will “get in” to you.
Farewell
I saw and heard what liberators are doing in the lives of fellow citizens. And I understood that if something like that hurts my wife and sons – the consequences can be irreversible – no television jelly will return them to me. Maybe it’s patriotic, bold and courageous to be here with the family and go through everything? Maybe so. We consulted with the family, prayed and decided to take my wife and 2 young sons of 15 and 7 out of the country. Not immediately, but a couple of days later, watching the fruits of the “special operation” in Ukraine we decided to take them to a safe and secure place.
If you have not said goodbye to your children and wife in the war, it could be hard to understand what it is about.
I sobbed and wept, knowing that I might never see them again in my life. I sobbed and cried, realizing that our wonderful family, which my wife and I have been building for 24 years since 1998, is torn, the war is tearing us apart. Each has a backpack behind. Refugees. What is our fault? Before whom? Are we fascists? We, my family, have we asked anyone to “release” us? No, we are free people, we are family, we are Ukrainians.
I put my youngest son Frederick’s judo kimono, belt and medals in his backpack. The night before we woke up, he slept with me and my mom. God, how I hugged him, kissed and stroked him … and sobbed and cried. This is a nightmare and horror. Who started this war? Who came to my country with his justice? How can one hate so much?
3 years ago we took a puppy girl of a central asian shepherd dog Yurta. Have your eyes ever seen how your son says goodbye to his beloved dog during the war? This is pain and sorrow. Will he see her again? Will the dog survive? I saw it.
2 years ago we took cat Boris from an animal shelter and adopted him into our family. But have you seen during the war how your son pours water for the cat, gives some pet food and strokes, realizing that he may never see him again? Can you imagine how a child feels at such a moment? I saw it.
I fell in love with a beautiful woman in 1996. She loved me. We built our relationship for 2 years. The first time I kissed her was on August 16, 1998, during our wedding. We became husband and wife. We shared everything for the two – the best and the worst – we have not had any secrets from each other. She gave me 3 wonderful sons. She is my beloved woman. I have been dating her since our wedding and till they fled. I had not had to do feats on March 8 – I have just loved my wife daily. The best I could. I lay and understood that tomorrow I would be without her and them, without my family. That most of my family will be torn away from me. So the night passed.
Railway station capture
It is now almost impossible to get from our village by car to the Kyiv railway station. It can be very long and you may not have enough time to return before the curfew. Millions of Ukrainian women and children are now fleeing from the theater of operations, from bombings and ruins, rescuing their lives. Elderly people are trying to save themselves. We were really lucky – my wife and 2 sons took the S-ban train to the Kyiv railway station – they MANAGED to get in.
There was a sea of refugees at the station. People were standing in the dark and looking at the schedule of departing trains. There was a blackout. Because Kyiv and the railway station are bombed. But the worst thing is to get to the train. A big sea of people on the platform are trying to break into the train carriages, which will take them to a safer place. The chance to get into the carriage is 1 out of 20. Fear and horror. Scream, cry, moan, filthy language and fear. By the great mercy of God and your prayers, the only entry appeared to be just 1 (!) meter from my son Marcus – he pushed his mother and younger brother Frederick forward and dragged the backpacks. There were 14 (!) mothers and children in the compartment. On their way the youngest son whispered to mother: “Mom, I want to be with my Dad!” On March 6, 2022, in the morning, my family went to the platform of the railway station in Lviv. On the 8th of March late in the evening they are approaching to Polish border.
What’s left
I stayed with my eldest son (19.5), mother-in-law, dog Yurta and cat Boris. My prayer to God: let me, my son and my mother-in-law live. Take care of my wife and the sons. And help us please. Arrange our ways. Send them kind and humane people to assist. And let us all meet alive and well. And return home. And give peace to Ukraine. And help us to forgive. And do not judge. And to serve and help the people who will be next to us. And then to return to live in the Motherland and have love. Let it be good where we are. I pray that the Ukrainian nation will become free and we will have peace.
Democracy
Yes, Ukrainians have questions to the authorities. We don’t like if they are doing wrong. And I have my own questions for the Ukrainian authorities. I think it’s ok. Also we can even elect the government. During my life I have seen 6 presidents – Kravchuk, Kuchma, Yushchenko, Yanukovych, Poroshenko, Zelensky. For each of them, people have questions. Each of them did something right and something wrong. Each of them had up to 2 presidential terms. But we chose them. We had elections! Our presidents are chosen by us. One of them even fled out of the country. So much he was against the people. And the point here is not in Russia, not in the USA and not in Europe. The point is that in Ukraine live freedom-loving, hospitable and courageous people. And if a president does not suit the Ukrainian people, it seems to me that he will not be on duties long. Can it be called fascism? I call it democracy.
What is truth?
Before the crucifixion, Pontius Pilate asked Jesus – what is truth? Jesus did not answer him. It’s funny, but even tyrants are interested in “what the truth is.” I’ve been a magazine publisher for 9 years – I know the way media works.
That someone pays them a salary. I was taught about this at school based on the works of Lenin. Therefore, for me, the best remedy for the influence of any propaganda is the Word of God. Bible. You read and know God’s point of view on this or that issue. And if you know God’s point of view on your question, people will not deceive you! On the first day of the war, I received a letter from an “anonymous source” with an offer to work and cooperate properly with “DNR journalists”. They probably know what the truth is.
War in Ukraine and the Bible
“Be not judges of others, and you will not be judged” Bible; Matthew 7:1-2
“You false one, first take out the bit of wood from your eye, then will you see clearly to take out the grain of dust from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:5
“Let not the old landmark be moved which your fathers have put in place.” – Proverbs 22:28
“Blessed are the peacemakers” – Matthew 5:9
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you” – Matthew 5:44
Draw conclusions by yourself.
When you are offended or insulted – it is easy to curse and condemn as a response. It is more difficult to forgive and not condemn. This is the great power of God’s love, which is able to change oppressors’ hearts, to settle repentance and compassion. Please pray that my family, for my employees and the entire Ukrainian people will be able to walk our path with dignity. Please pray for those who oppress and for those who offend – that repentance and changes will appear there.
Ukrainians
The Ukrainian people are united, resolute and concentrated now. There is a clear understanding that the country was attacked. We try to support each other. There is nowhere to retreat – the men stood up to defend their families and land. We can be killed. One can drop a nuclear bomb on us, one can blow up the Chernobyl or Zaporozhye nuclear power plant above us – that’s so. One can blow up the dam of the Kiev or Kanev water reservoir. One can use chemical weapons. One can fire at us with multiple rocket missiles. All this is possible. But Ukrainian people defend their land and families. And the truth is with us. And may God help my nation to stand and survive. To forgive and love those who offend. I can talk a lot about our offenders, but I won’t. Let everyone speak about themselves. And everyone will have to deal with the consequences of one’s choice. And there will be God’s judgment. Everyone will be there. And when the war is over – welcome to free Ukraine!
Ukrainians will host you with a big heart!
Corrugated industry
I have been happy to be a part of this project since October 2013. The Corrugated Industry magazine and a web portal is a business project. It had been profitable from October 2013 until February 24, 2022. From A to Z of my stay in the project.
Before the war Russian partners paid us to the Sberbank bank account.The company had some money there.
Due to the war this Russian bank’s account and all the funds were nationalized. Our bank accounts were reset to zero.
So we participated in sanctions as well.
We are a paper magazine and web portal, made by a Ukrainian team from Kyiv. We have had readers from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries of the former USSR. We have served equipment manufacturers from Europe, USA, Asia in the Russian language since 2004. Small spool but precious! I have never seen anything like it in my life. Whoever tried to do something like this – have not succeeded.
But the most valuable thing in this project are PEOPLE. The war has attacked these fine people. The war attacked our children and loved ones. Hiding in bomb shelters or in basements of houses, air raid sirens, death and devastation. Evacuation and refugees. All this came to the lives of the wonderful employees of the Corrugated Industry.
Dear friend!
There is war in Ukraine now. Force majeure circumstances. We are trying to release the March issue of the magazine during the war. The last issue of the Corrugated Industry. The Corrugated Industry magazine has been killed by war. Seeing with their own eyes and passing all the war horrors, some of my Ukrainian colleagues would never be able to write an article in the Russian language. We loved you and we have been trying modestly and kindly to benefit readers, partners and advertisers since 2004. The war launched by Russia has killed the Corrugated Industry. The war dispersed the best team I have ever seen in my life. The Corrugated Industry team is the stars! Here they are:
Dmitry is the Russian-speaking editor-in-chief. A native Kyiv resident. An ex-military officer. A man of word and honor. He prints only valid and consistent information. He respects and cares about our readers. A reliable and decent person. Charming and positive. We traveled with him to Europe, the USA and China – with Dima I was like behind a brick wall. A wonderful family man – together with his wife they are raising 2 daughters. Now Dmitry and his family are in Kyiv. During shelling, he hides his family in the basement of an apartment building. Now Dmitry sends his wife and daughters abroad to save their lives. God bless his family.
Katerina is the One who timely supplies our readers with online and paper magazines. Even when the rest of the paper magazines have already disappeared. Subscribers always get their magazines. Against all odds and pandemies Katerina is a very responsible and reliable employee. Katerina is Dmitry’s wife. Now she is saving her life and fleeing the country with 2 of her daughters.
Victoria, the executive editor, who every month collects a literary and grammatically correct magazine from a pile of raw content. Each magazine is coordinated with authors, partners and advertisers. And there are many corrections and approvals – – she copes with them all. She is an honest and kind person. Her yes means yes. You can rely on such an employee as on yourself. Over the past year, she has increased organic website traffic by more than 3 (!) times. Vika speaks Ukrainian, Russian and English. She survived the horror of bombings. Now this single mother is saving the lives of her 2 young sons by fleeing Ukraine to Poland.
Alexander is a designer and web administrator. This is a miracle man! There are no such designers and administrators in one bottle! Yet we have had him! He is friendly with Excel. Sasha has a golden head and hands – from apartment renovation to car and office repairs. He is a polite, kind and sympathetic person. He designed more than 100 magazines, developed up to 30 brand books, mastered hundreds of ad layouts for global brands. Sasha went through and assembled many websites with WordPress, Joomla and other CMSs. Sasha is an amazing person. His hobby is fishing. When the war began, he took his own sister from the maternity hospital. Now he is saving his wife and 2 young sons from the bombings.
God bless your family, Alexander!
Eugene has a journalist gift. To write about flutes and cardboard, converting and corrugating, you need to understand the matter. And he knows this machinery with his own fingers. Therefore, his articles and translations are on the case, and not water. Zhenya as a journalist has a rare gift – to do everything on time. He also speaks Ukrainian, Russian and English. Zhenya is a decent and sympathetic person. Now he stays in Kyiv and serves as a volunteer to people, animals and looks after the estate left by the refugees. May God keep him!
Maria is a person of great heart and soul. She is very fond of clients – both Russian and English speakers. She always meets and exceeds goals. Decent and reliable. Kind and responsive. Before business she was a Master of Sports in swimming, and before the war she was kind of scuba diving. She is a single mother for 2 boys. Maria went on vacation as many days a year as needed for her family – I did not mind. How is it possible?! Very simply – trust and reliability. Masha never let her down – the sales plan was always fulfilled. Now she is in Kyiv in her apartment with 2 sons and a father who had broken his leg when he fell during Kyiv bombing. The operation is planned on Wednesday, the 9th of March. If it is OK, Mary may take her father and sons to rescue from the city.
Olga is an accountant and economist. She is responsible for management reporting, financial planning and operations. She is the backbone of a stable and profitable business. Timely settlements with suppliers and partners. Before she joined our team she had been working for an international automotive company as a leading economist. Once I told her – Olga, Margaret Thatcher is nervously smoking on the sidelines against your background! Olga speaks Ukrainian, Russian and English. Apologist for a healthy lifestyle and nutrition. She is fond of dancing, mother of 3 boys and my wife. Now Olga and our 2 sons are on their way to the Polish border. They are refugees.
Dmitry is our main shareholder. He is a man of his word and honor. His yes means yes. His no means no. He is demanding but fair. He is predictable and reliable. He does not get into the process much, but has a successful business. Great family man, father of 2 sons. His hobbies are civil aviation and sports. Now he serves as a volunteer in Kyiv. His wife and sons are close to the Polish border.
Yura it is me. A conductor of this ensemble. The war took away from me both the ensemble and the conductor’s baton. The major thing I like to do is to benefit partners in a positive, honest and kind way and to lead the team in a holistic way.
You can read more about me as Yura Bach at linkedin.com/in/yurabach.
Personal goals
Now I need to survive and remain a Ukrainian man of dignity and a Christian.
The people from my team survive and settle in a new post-war life. We meet and hug each other.
My family will be together again. We will all be alive and well. There will be peace in my beloved Ukraine.
We will live in our house. One day in September we will go to the sea with the whole family.
I walk with my wife at the wedding of my 3 sons and see my grandchildren. And then I can pass away in peace.
And all this has to happen in a free independent Ukraine!
I kindly ask you to:
- Pray for the peace and freedom in Ukraine
- Donate the Corrugated Industry team
We need to survive and get through this year.
Financial assistance can be made targeted – to our media partner’s bank account in the EU or
to the cards of employees.
- Settle my people with a place of residence and help to have a new job
If we are alive and safe, we will be happy to start working at new places of work (both remote and onsite).
If your enterprise can help my guys with shelter and work, they will not fail.
Yours sincerely, Yura
Ukraine, Kyiv area
PS. These days I have been designing an operation to evacuate Nickita Belyaev – a wheelchair disabled young man, who is with his elderly parents in Kyiv now. This was one of the reasons I could not respond.
