Volodymyr Bondarenko spends most of his day holed up in his residence within the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
Between listening for air-raid sirens and frantically messaging household for updates, he trades messages with a flurry of Airbnb friends reserving his one-bedroom rental within the coronary heart of Ukraine's capital.
Typically, he sends a crying emoji. Different instances, the praying fingers emoji.
It is his approach of thanking those that are reserving his residence — despite the fact that they don't have any intention of ever displaying up at his door.
Airbnb hosts in Ukraine are being flooded with bookings from individuals all around the world who don't have any plans to go to.
It is a part of a artistic social media marketing campaign to funnel cash to besieged Ukrainians who want monetary help as Russian forces bombard their nation and lower off companies.
The thought has picked up momentum.
On March 2 and March 3, friends from world wide booked greater than 61,000 nights in Ukraine, in line with an Airbnb spokesperson.
Greater than half of these nights have been booked by People, the spokesperson stated.
CNN spoke to individuals within the United States, the UK and Australia who've booked Ukrainian leases on Airbnb in current days.
"Greater than 10 bookings got here in at this time. This was stunning, it's totally supportive in the intervening time," Mr Bondarenko, 36, informed CNN early Friday.
"I informed a lot of my kin and associates that I plan to make use of this cash to assist our individuals who want it right now."
Persons are leaving messages of assist for his or her Ukrainian hosts
The decision for friends to e-book Airbnbs in Ukraine began on-line, the place supporters urged individuals to e-book rooms as near a check-in date as potential to make sure hosts obtain charges shortly.
Airbnb sometimes points a payout about 24 hours after a visitor checks in.
Organisers of the marketing campaign are also urging individuals to verify the leases are operated by people and never corporations.
New York Metropolis resident Anne Margaret Daniel noticed the Airbnb posts on social media and sprung into motion.
The literature lecturer on the New Faculty booked a two-night keep at an residence in Previous Kyiv, an enthralling and historic neighborhood recognized for Orthodox church buildings and quirky animal sculptures.
Photographs on the Airbnb itemizing present immaculate wood flooring, an overstuffed grey sofa and a sloped skylight. The 2-bedroom residence is sort of absolutely booked for the following few months.
In her reserving, Daniel included a message for the host:
"I hope that you simply, and your beautiful residence, are protected and that this horrible conflict is over ... and Ukraine is protected," it stated.
"I'll come and see you someday, please depend on it, and can stick with you after we go to. God bless you and God be with you, your metropolis, your nation."
Her host, Olga Zviryanskaya, quickly responded.
"We can be glad to see you within the peaceable metropolis of Kyiv and hug," she stated.
Ms Zviryanskaya and her three kids lived within the capital for years.
After Russian forces invaded and threw the town into turmoil, she packed her kids and some belongings in a automotive and fled to the area close to Cherkasy, a metropolis in central Ukraine.
The 160 kilometre journey took 9 hours.
Now, Ms Zviryanskaya is permitting individuals who don't have any approach out of Kyiv to remain in her residence.
Messages from strangers have supplied consolation as she adjusts to the brand new actuality.
"We're alive, however we wish to dwell as earlier than," she stated.
"It's extremely scary in Kyiv. Each phrase of assist is effective, not essentially cash."
Sometime when the battle is over, Daniel hopes to e-book Zviryanskaya's residence once more.
This time, she intends to go to.
'You might be my heroes,' one Ukrainian host says
Andre Osypchuk is a retired seaman and an Airbnb host in Kyiv.
He was shocked to see Brooklyn-based Valerie Zimmer — who was born in Kyiv and stayed at his rental three years in the past whereas visiting household — just lately booked his place for per week's keep.
Osypchuk stays within the metropolis along with his spouse and two children.
He has since arrange an automatic message to deal with the inflow of Airbnb requests.
"Thanks very a lot in your assist, which is a lot wanted now," it says.
"I've been standing in line for meals because the morning, which I can now purchase with the cash you despatched."
Ms Zimmer reached out to him on to see how he was and supply assist.
She's urged her associates to hunt out comparable Airbnb leases throughout Ukraine.
"The cash will get on to the individuals, and shortly," she stated.
New York Metropolis resident Careyann Deyo, 45, booked an Airbnb rental hooked up to somebody's house in Ukraine to verify her cost reached a resident.
"I donated to bigger organisations as effectively, however felt this had a extra rapid affect," Ms Deyo says.
Ms Deyo's host despatched her a message after discovering out she was sending a cost despite the fact that she didn't plan to examine in.
"I am crying. You might be my heroes," it stated.
Airbnb is waiving visitor and host charges
Airbnb has stated it's providing non permanent housing in neighboring international locations to as much as 100,000 Ukrainians who're fleeing their nation due to the Russian invasion.
It is also waiving visitor and host charges within the nation.
"We're so humbled by the inspiring generosity of our neighborhood throughout this second of disaster," stated Haven Thorn, an organization spokesperson.
He requested these prepared to assist by internet hosting Ukrainians or donating to their efforts to go to Airbnb's web site for extra info.
Some persons are warning that scammers may arrange faux Airbnb accounts in Ukraine to capitalise on the world's generosity.
These reserving leases are inspired to look at the itemizing rigorously and skim opinions to verify the host is legit and has been working for a while.
One of many social media influencers behind the Airbnb effort additionally has inspired his followers to patronise Ukrainian retailers on Etsy however ask sellers to not ship any items.
Ukrainians flee beneath bridge destroyed by a Russian airstrike
Etsy has introduced it is canceling the present balances and charges owed by all sellers in Ukraine.
Mr Bondarenko, the Airbnb host in Kyiv, stated whereas banks are closed in some cities and Airbnb funds might not attain hosts as quick as typical, the monetary help is reassuring in a world crammed with terror and uncertainty.
Equally necessary, he and different hosts stated, are the phrases of assist they hear from strangers a world away.