Viktor Liashko to russian healthworkers: Condemn the war openly!

Health workers and health scientists living and working in the Russian Federation,

As a doctor to doctors, as the Minister of Health of Ukraine, I appeal to you. I am not sending you a request, but a clear message!

Do you still think that there is a so called "military operation" in Ukraine, that has nothing to do with you or your work?

No, it is not!

Ukraine is at war! Not even war, but combating terrorism,, coordinated by your president.

This is terrorism, because your military is shelling peaceful neighborhoods of our cities, shooting at ambulances, destroying our hospitals with bombs, refusing to bring medicines and food to hospitals, killing 16 children (with 45 more children with multiple war time injuries have been rescued by our doctors ),…

But even on the sixth day of the war, those of you who took the Hippocratic oath and promised to "keep pure and holy both my life and my art" are simply watching your leader's actions lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.

You have not taken any action to condemn and stop the war in Ukraine, or at least to show solidarity with your colleagues in the profession, not to mention condemning the deaths of innocent people.

You keep thinking it's out there, and it won't concern you.

It's not "there". It's here! In a free and independent Ukraine, supported by the whole civilized world!

And you, doctors and scientists, will soon feel the effects of the sanctions imposed by the world community against your country, trying to curb this crazy march.

Soon you will feel what it is like to be without medicines from the world's leading manufacturers who will not come to you in a country that is already ignored by the whole world.

You will feel the way I feel today, when due to the actions of the occupiers who came from your country, I cannot deliver medical supplies to the cities where the fighting is taking place, supplies that should have saved someone's life.

You will look into the eyes of your patients, whom you will not be able to help, and you will think to yourself why I did not go to the streets on February 24, 25, or March 1 to stop the war.

You are already expelled from the world professional associations. You will be deprived of the opportunity to publish in world scientific journals. You have already been deprived of the opportunity to visit most countries of the world to participate in world congresses and see innovative developments in the medical field.

If that what you want, then continue to ignore the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

If not, and you want to continue to dedicate your life to what you once came to this profession - to help humanity, if your hearts still have what hearts of all Ukrainian doctors do, go to the streets of their cities.

Condemn the war openly! Don't be afraid! Tell the truth to your patients. Help us, Ukrainians, save the world!