OSMIA Under Occupation: Update From A Ukrainian Second Life Creator Hiding In a City That Russian Soldiers Now Control

The amazing thing about virtual worlds is that you make tangible connections with people from all over the real world. That also means, tragically, that the real world's troubles often fast follow behind.

Which brings us back to Hanna, creator of the beloved Second Life brand OSMIA, who also happens to be a Ukrainian. When I wrote about her a couple weeks ago, she was sheltering in place with her family in one of the major cities -- while over six months pregnant.

Hanna just sent me this photo of where she spends most of her time -- on a reinforced cot, as Russian soldiers patrol the streets outside. Her city is now under occupation by Putin's forces.

"I'm safe," she tells me, "but we have active hostilities at the entrance to the city for the second day in a row. My husband and my parents are there living now. So hard, but we try to hold on. The city is still occupied, a lot of Russian military and equipment. Food and medicine are still not allowed into the city (food supplies in the city are getting worse and worse, medicines are impossible to buy)."

The Russian occupiers -- and you will read this in the news -- are now attempting to impose a semblance of democracy on the population.

"There are attempts to hold a fake referendum, supposedly we want to [join] Russia. It's a lie! People are gathering rallies in support of Ukraine, Russian military they are trying to disperse people with gunfire."

However, she has athismessage for the world: "[My city] is Ukraine! Only Ukraine."

While she does have Internet connectivity, we are messaging via social media. She has not been able to bring her computer into her hiding place, where she might manage her virtual world brand of sexy outfits for glamorous, carefree avatars.

However, she adds, a trusted friend of hers -- another Second Life content creator -- is managing Hanna's store and livelihood while she is in hiding. Hanna's friend is Russian.

Comments

[Kialaya]

Her brand is called OSMIA, not Osima. You said it correctly in your other article. Please correct, thank you. And thank you for keeping us posted about her. I hope the best for her.

[Wagner James Au]

Thank you it's been fixed!

[Minhilda Nordenskiold]

I decided to support Hanna’s clothing brand OSMIA as much I can. For now on, until the war ends, I buy all my clothing from OSMIA and challenge others do also so. It is not enough, but it is one tiny way to show support.