The International Union of Speleology (UIS) has been swiftly and widely condemned in the caving community for not taking an unequivocal stand in its statement against Russia’s war on Ukraine.

International Union of Speleology - Statement on the situation in Ukraine

 

This was swiftly denounced in an open letter from the Ukrainian Speleological Association to UIS delegates, speleologists and karst researchers in which they accuse the UIS of sitting on the fence. They provide a powerful rebuttal of the UIS statement, calling on them and other caving organisations to take stronger action and exclude Russian cavers from conferences and expeditions. They also ask the UIS to withdraw its current statement, rethink its position and issue a “new, honest and moral statement” on the situation in Ukraine. This three-page letter is reproduced in full below.

UIS_statement_UkrSA_reaction_ENG

 

The second and third pages can be read by hovering over the bottom of the page and then clicking on the tab that will appear.

At Darkness Below, we stand with the people and cavers of Ukraine and utterly condemn Russia’s actions. We urge cavers everywhere to take what action they can to help the people of Ukraine in this terrible and wholly unjustified war.