Let me clarify, I was asked to help my ex-girlfriend from Odessa - we are still good friends - because her brother and son fell ill and are in the hospital. The son has pneumonia and 39.5 temperature. However, he also has a father living in the country and I believe he should help his son before I do it from abroad. But when the going gets tough I feel the need to help also. That's why I ask for your opinion from within the country because on the internet it is difficult to get unbiased information. I have a male friend from Odessa but he wasn't available until now. Please keep posting your comments.

With regard to "official numbers" it should be clear that in a country under an illegitimate regime that is shooting and killing its own citizens, it will be hard to obtain any correct information because the truth is always the first victim in every conflict. Also due to putting all the billions of "foreign aid" in military operations, the Ukrainian infrastructure is in decline and I don't think that any ministry in the country has the high standards necessary to publish qualified reports and trustworthy communiqués to the people. Especially in Odessa where they have a Georgian fugitive with a criminal record as head of the oblast. It is all so sad.

Correct me when I'm wrong.