Statement About the War in Ukraine
The faculty of the Department of Germanic and Slavic studies condemns Russia's aggression against Ukraine, which began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and has been escalated by Russia's large-scale, aggressive invasion. We express solidarity with UCSB students from Ukraine and those with Ukrainian heritage for whom the consequences of the Russian aggression are particularly devastating. Please know that we share your anguish and are here to offer support. We also welcome all UCSB students interested in the situation to reach out to us for conversation and reliable sources to understand and follow the events that are currently unfolding.
We support Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We also acknowledge that the criminal actions of the current Russian government do not express the will of all Russian people, nor do they reflect Russian culture as a whole. We support anti-war demonstrators in Russia who are being detained and persecuted for their public statements against the war.
*The statements posted on this page do not represent the views of the University. They were approved by all members of the GSS faculty.