Russia's War on Ukrainian Mail

When armed conflict suddenly turns cities into battlefields, millions of people caught in the middle face the decimation of basic services. That includes, of course, necessities such as food, water, and electricity. Oft-overlooked services such as mail delivery are also disrupted, making it nearly impossible for people to send things like money and clothes to relatives in harm’s way. Against all odds, Ukraine’s national post (Ukrposhta) is still up and running despite postal workers being killed and mail trucks being destroyed. Yet, without basic cooperation from Russia, letters and parcels are likely to be caught in the chaos of war and fall short of their destination. It’s up to the taxpayer-funded Universal Postal Union (UPU) to help keep the mail flowing and hold Russia accountable for its crimes.