Good News on Safe Skies
Thank You for Stopping Killer Drones and Saving Human Life
Thousands of you have helped me to do a good thing, and so I wanted to thank you.
My Safe Skies fundraiser allows Ukrainians to install a passive drone-detection system which enables the interception of Shahed drones and cruise missiles.Â
I have seen the system, and it works. Everywhere it has been installed, critical infrastructure has been preserved, and lives have been saved.
Our goal was to raise $1.9 million to fund 5,000 sensors, allowing the protection of eight Ukrainian regions. This goal has now been achieved, and the sensors will be installed within the next few weeks.
This entire fundraiser has taken place during the political nonsense in the House of Representatives, which has blocked entirely U.S. assistance to Ukraine.Â
Even if the government has done nothing, we have done something.
If you'd like to do more, please keep supporting this fundraiser. I won't be announcing another specific goal, at least for a while. But Ukraine needs 12,000 total sensors to protect the entire country, so 7,000 more.
United24 also has a number of other active fundraisers, which range from the understandably bellicose to the enticingly irenic. You can explore their site.
If you'd prefer to support a Ukrainian non-governmental organization that supports the army, donate to Come Back Alive.
And if you'd like to support Ukrainians in Ukraine who are documenting the war as journalists, scholars, lawyers, writers, and artists, please consider Documenting Ukraine.
Again, to all of you who donated to Safe Skies: thank you.Â
Professor Snyder,
Thanks for your work on Safe Skies and on documenting Ukrainian history. It’s important to have respected historians publicizing the truth to a broad audience. It’s unfortunate that so many Americans, including political leaders, are so woefully ignorant of the world around them that they are easily swayed by demagogues and their Russian influencers (or handlers, to use a term of art:)).
Andrew P. Cap, COL, USA, retired
It seems we live on an island far away from other countries right next door. Do this simple test: ask random people what the capital of Canada is, and see what if anything they say (probably Toronto or Quebec or some other place). Or ask where the Yucatan is. Or if you're a NYC wise-ass like me, ask them on a map which one is on top, Oregon or Washington. Well, that's a tough one for most people. Worse is which is on top, Nebraska or Kansas. That neighbor of yours who is a real dummy, ask them which is on top, North Dakota or South Dakota, or perhaps which one is next to New York State, New Hampshire or Vermont.
Geographic education in our country is pitiful, worse even than our public school education in history (sorry Professor, but you undoubtedly know that already). But civics is way down there as well. I am convinced that glomming these three disciplines into something called "social studies" stupided-up a hundred years of American kids. And now we suffer the results.
Dr. Snyder, a brief word: I have watched a number of your lectures on Eastern Europe (fascinating) but what you did with Safe Skies might just make you a legend in that part of the world (if it hasn't already), and to other historians and to those few who ardently want peace in our world as well as everyone having the right to live free, and safe. Thank you!