Maru Jarockyj is a Melbourne architect and a Ukrainian-Australian. Her parents fled Ukraine as refugees after WWII, leaving behind a devastated nation and their experiences of brutal forced labour under the Nazis.

At first glance the situation in Ukraine seems desperate and interminable.

As a person of Ukrainian ancestry I feel worry and deep anxiety and sometimes think that there is no end in sight.

Casualties are mounting daily. The best and brightest of the Ukrainian population are being killed and maimed. Women and children continue to be tortured and raped.

Children are being stolen and exported as slaves to bolster the dwindling Russian population. Genocide and war crimes are being committed daily.

And now that China, Iran and Belorussia are joining the aggressor – is this the start of a far worse war scenario?

At the same time, lies from the Kremlin are proliferating. The West has laughably been accused of starting the war; and now it seems an arms race is imminent as Russia exits the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

Ukraine, which suffered the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, could now become the target of a full blown nuclear war.

After a year of war, all of this seems dire.

But there is one factor that is preventing Ukraine from spiralling into defeat and depression – and that is the spirit of its people.

Ukraine has surprised the world and it will continue to do so because its people, its fighting spirit and its love of freedom. Ukrainian DNA is just about indestructible.

But Ukraine needs and deserves the world’s support.

Ukraine gave up the world’s third largest nuclear arsenal in the world in 1994 when it signed the Budapest Memorandum in return for a guarantee of its territorial borders.

Ukraine abided by all of the terms of the agreement but is now it is fighting a war to the death. It needs the support of all democracies now.

And it’s in the interests of the democracies to support Ukraine. The war has shattered the world order, the rule of law no longer exists, and social media is being used as by Russia as an epicentre of lies, propaganda, blackmail and political thuggery.

Fourteen million Ukrainians have been displaced, many fleeing to other countries. That’s almost a third of its population gone – a potentially catastrophic situation for the future redevelopment and regeneration of Ukraine.

It will take decades to return Ukraine to pre-war levels of housing and infrastructure. And for the same time period Ukrainians will be dealing with the human wreckage; psychological trauma, maimings, prosthesis, invalid rehabilitations and the rest.

The world needs to help Ukraine rebuild its hospitals, schools, sports centres, airports and energy grid; all of which have been bombed in Russia’s scorched earth policy.

I know from my own experience that every Ukrainian on the planet is being affected by this war.

Each day we check the news, we ring family members in Ukraine, we help at the community centres packing aid, we help the refugees who have come to Australia integrate into a new society, we help refugee children at schools, we organise rallies, demonstrations as well as fund-raising concerts and bazars.

This routine is being repeated in countries across the world where Ukrainians have sought refuge.

Australians have been tremendous in their support of Ukraine. I often discuss the war with my clients as well as the issues we have in our community in Melbourne – mostly finding employment and placings for refugees.

Two of these conversations have recently yielded employment for two female refugees, one in a bakery and one in an architectural firm.

Aussies’ generosity and support for the truth and fair play is phenomenal.

Russia’s genocidal mission against Ukraine has to be stopped by the democratic world. Ukraine needs help now. It needs ammunition tanks and warplanes.

And Ukraine needs a victory in order to save Europe and the democratic values of the world.

If Ukraine falls, we could all be headed into a new dark-age of nuclear confrontation.

If it prevails, it will be a beacon to the world for the values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law.