The project was organized on 9 March 2022, when fundraising began to help Ukrainian refugees.[7]
On 17 March, in an interview with the BBC, Akunin said that the project is primarily focused on the Russian diaspora, on the people, and that participation in any pacifist and even more so pro-Ukrainian campaigns now poses a certain risk for Russians living in Russia.[8]
After Akunin announced his anti-war position, stores in Russia began to withdraw his book from sale.[9]