Diamond Workers Defending Ukraine
April 07, 22
We are living through remarkable times. So in a departure from our usual format, we welcome Yuliya Kusher, CEO of a lab grown diamond company in war-torn Ukraine, to share her thoughts (below) in a guest Memo.
You may have heard of Meylor Global. They made headlines in January with news that they'd produced the world's biggest lab grown diamond, certified by IGI at 150.42 carats. It broke a record set by the same company in September 2020, with a 115.65-carat stone.
What you probably didn't realize was that their factory is in Kyiv, capital of Ukraine, and that production came to a halt when Russian forces invaded at the end of February. In recent days troops withdrew from positions near the city, to be deployed elsewhere, and the Meylor Global factory was able to re-open. But 30 per cent of its staff have fled the country, to take refuge in Poland, Serbia, Turkey and elsewhere.
Company CEO Yuliya Kusher (pictured left, in happier times) described workers who had been making beautiful diamonds just a few weeks ago, and who were now carrying guns to defend their country, as "jewels". She spoke of her hatred for the Russian invaders and her hopes for peace. And she appealed for donations to provide Ukrainian civilian defense units with helmets and body armor. Yuliya is now in the US with her two children. This is her moving and personal account, in her own words.
"It is really hard, some days I feel that we will win, other day I do understand what is the price, and don't understand why those people are killing our children. It is not their war, they have to smile and play toys and not lie with tied hands. Really difficult to go through this.
"I'm the CEO of Meylor Global, dealing with diamonds since 2015. I was working in Kyiv at our factory which was growing biggest diamonds in the world. Just a couple month ago we were in articles all over the world with the150-ct diamond we grew in Kyiv.
"As my professional community is in diamonds I ask people here to help us. The worst thing is to ask someone for something. I never ask for something but after all that happened in Bucha (where the bodies of hundreds of civilians have reportedly been found after Russian troops retreated) I really don't care what people will think about me but I know that I have to help at least somehow, I'm here in US now with 2 my kids, if I were alone I would take weapon, but now I have to think not about my feelings to those Russians whom we hate, but how to save at least children.
"The factory in Ukraine stopped growing diamonds when the Russians started bombing, but a week ago the factory restarted, as we need to help our economy to survive. We need to give people work, and hope that one day everything will return to normal life. Not all presses were able to work again but most of them now alive again.
"The factory is in Kyiv, and it is dangerous. No one knows where the Russians will shoot next time, so every time people from the factory hear signal of an air attack they go to the shelter.
"Our jewels now are defending our country, and many of them still don't even have armor vests or helmets. They were calling me and asking for that, those who just a month ago were making beautiful pieces of jewelry are now with a weapon, trying to protect everything they love.
"My team is now everywhere, someone is in Turkey, someone in Serbia, someone in Poland. It is mostly women who are afraid for their kids. All the men are in Ukraine. Girls of our company are trying to work and at least in this way to support our country and economy, and survive in a foreign county with children who are dreaming about peace."
"There are so many questions still in our heads. My son keeps asking why Russians are bombing his toys and his home, and why they came. And my question is how this war could happen in the 21st century? And it is not only about politics and soldiers who are killing because they were told to, but the whole humanitarian disaster when they raping women and kids, marauding, bullying. Who are those people and are they human?"
"Our jewelers and scientists are now defending their homes, asking me to find vests and helmets so they can protect those they love. We are not afraid of dying but we are afraid we will run out of time. Please help now and save lives. Please demonstrate your support for our brave people so we know we are not alone."
Yuliya says she was lucky that she got visas to leave Ukraine a couple of days before the war started. She drove with her children and the family dog for two days through four countries to the airport in Warsaw. She is urging readers to donate to the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council, which is providing civilian defense units with helmets and body armor. https://uaccusa.org/supportukraine