(CNN) — Volodymyr Bondarenko spends most of the day at his apartment in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital.
Between listening to air raid sirens and frantically messaging his family for updates, he’s messaging a flood of Airbnb guests booking his one-bedroom apartment in the heart of the Ukrainian capital.
Sometimes he sends a crying emoji. In other cases, emoticons of praying hands. It’s his way of thanking those who book his apartment, even if they don’t intend to ever show up at his door.
Airbnb hosts in Ukraine are flooded with bookings from people all over the world who don’t plan to visit. It’s part of a creative social media campaign to pump money to beleaguered Ukrainians who need financial help as Russian troops shell their country and shut down services.
The idea took off. According to an Airbnb representative, on March 2 and 3, guests from all over the world booked more than 61,000 nights in Ukraine. More than half of those nights were booked by Americans, the spokesperson said.
CNN spoke to people in the US, UK and Australia who have been booking Ukrainian accommodations on Airbnb in recent days.
“More than 10 bookings have been received today. It was amazing, it helps a lot at the moment,” Bondarenko, 36, told CNN early Friday. “I have told many of my relatives and friends that I plan to use this money to help our people who need it at this time.”
Ukrainian soldiers unload weapons from the trunk of an old car northeast of Kyiv, Ukraine.
Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images
People leave messages of support for their Ukrainian masters
The call for guests to book Airbnbs in Ukraine began online, with supporters urging people to book rooms as close to their check-in date as possible so hosts get paid quickly. Airbnb usually issues a payout approximately 24 hours after a guest checks in.
Campaign organizers are also urging people to make sure that rentals are made by individuals and not companies.
New Yorker Ann Margaret Daniel saw Airbnb’s social media posts and took action.
A literature teacher at the New School booked two nights in an apartment in Old Kyiv, a charming historic district known for its Orthodox churches and bizarre animal sculptures. Photos from the Airbnb list show flawless wood floors, a soft gray sofa and a slanted skylight. The two bedroom apartment is almost fully booked for the next few months.
In her booking, Danielle included a message to the host:
“I hope you and your beautiful apartment are safe, and that this terrible war is over… and Ukraine is safe,” the message says. “I will come and see you one day, please count on it and stay with you when we arrive. May God bless you and may God be with you, your city, your country.”
Soon her host Olga Zviryanskaya answered.
“We will be glad to see you in the peaceful city of Kyiv and hugging,” she said.
Zviryanskaya and her three children lived in the capital for years. After Russian troops invaded the city and threw it into turmoil, she packed her children and some belongings in a car and fled to the Cherkassy region, a city in central Ukraine. The 100 mile trip took nine hours.
Now Zviryanskaya allows people who have no way out of Kyiv to live in her apartment. Messages from strangers comforted her as she adjusted to her new reality.
“We are alive, but we want to live like before,” she said. “It is very scary in Kyiv. Every word of support is valuable, not necessarily money.”
Someday, when the conflict subsides, Daniil hopes to book Zviryanskaya’s apartment again. This time she intends to visit.
People take shelter at the Dorohozhychi metro station, which has been turned into a bomb shelter in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Chris McGrath/Getty Images
“You are my heroes,” says one Ukrainian host.
Andrey Osipchuk is a retired sailor and owner of Airbnb in Kyiv.
He was surprised to see Valerie Zimmer from Brooklyn, who was born in Kyiv and stayed at his rental three years ago visiting family, recently booked his place for a week.
Osipchuk remains in the city with his wife and two children. He has since set up an automated message to handle the influx of Airbnb requests.
“Thank you very much for your help, which is so needed now,” it says. “I’ve been standing in line since morning for food, which I can now buy with the money you sent.”
Zimmer contacted him directly to see how he was feeling and to offer help. She encouraged her friends to look for similar Airbnb rentals all over Ukraine.
“The money will go directly to the people and quickly,” she said.
New Yorker Kareanne Deyo, 45, booked an apartment attached to someone’s house in Ukraine on Airbnb to make sure her payment would reach the resident.
“I also donated to larger organizations, but I felt it had a more immediate impact,” says Deyo.
Deyo’s host texted her after learning she was sending a payment even though she hadn’t planned on signing up.
“I’m crying. You are my heroes,” he said.
A Ukrainian soldier gives instructions to women and children boarding an evacuation train in Irpen, Ukraine.
Chris McGrath/Getty Images
Airbnb is waiving guest and host fees
“We are very touched by the inspiring generosity of our community at this time of crisis,” said Haven Thorne, a spokesman for the company. He asked those willing to help by hosting Ukrainians or donating their efforts to visit the Airbnb website for more information. Some people warn that scammers can create fake Airbnb accounts in Ukraine to cash in on the bounty of the world. Bookers are advised to carefully examine the listing and read reviews to ensure that the host is legitimate and has been operating for some time. ask sellers not to ship goods. Etsy has announced the cancellation of current balances and commissions due from all sellers in Ukraine.
Bondarenko, an Airbnb host in Kyiv, said that while banks are closed in some cities and Airbnb payments may not reach hosts as quickly as usual, the bailout is comforting in a world full of terror and uncertainty.
No less important, according to him, are other presenters, the words of support they hear from strangers living in another world.