'Fear And Anxiety': Ukrainian Americans In Minnesota Watch, Worry From Afar
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- With the calm of prayer and the support of a community, Ukrainian Minnesotans and those of Ukrainian descent stood together Thursday on a bitterly cold evening. They were braving the temperature in solidarity with those bravely fighting for their home country.
"Heartbroken for my family, my friends, soldiers fighting, the ancestors who fought so hard for Ukraine's freedom and democracy," said Helena Alexejun, whose parents immigrated from Ukraine.
"You can't look away. It's deeply traumatizing," said Stephen Vitvitsky, board member for the Ukrainian American Cultural Center.
Outside St. Constantine Ukrainian Catholic Church, dozen gathered to rally for peace not long after contacting loved ones abroad.
"I do know that my family has decided to accept essentially internally-displaced refugees to stay with them, to shelter in western Ukraine and await what happens next," Vitvitsky said.
A myriad of emotions filled the crowd. Many were anxious, others angry. All were unified though in wanting the war to not escalate further.
"It's incomprehensible. It's absolutely mind numbing. I mean, I equivocate between crying and grinding my teeth," said Andrij Karkoc. "How is it possible in the 21st century that you have an invasion of 200,000 men on an innocent country."
Mayor Jacob Frey spoke at the rally, telling everyone that Minneapolis stands with Ukraine, before sharing how his family heritage traces back to the country now swarmed by a Russian invasion.
Supporters with ties to other European nations came out as well, with two Lithuanian flags mixed in with Ukraine's blue-and-yellow flag that swung through the air. A reminder that their country currently is Russia's crosshairs is not alone.
"We have to do everything we can to protect democracy," said Alexejun.
For the estimated 17,000 Ukrainian-Americans living in Minnesota, the last 24 hours have been filled with concern, as Russia continues its invasion of the country.
"This renewed invasion caused a lot of pain and fear and anxiety," said Luda Anastazievsky, who moved to the United States from Mariupol, Ukraine, decades ago.
"I'm worried about my friends and relatives in Ukraine, in different locations all over Ukraine. I'm worried for their safety, their wellbeing, I'm worried this war will bring a lot of heartbreak."
CBS News reported Thursday that the Russian invasion was coming from at least three fronts, including near the nation's capital.
"I'm trying to see if Ukrainian military is able to defend the country, and with what success," said Anastazievsky, who said she had struggled to eat or sleep since the invasion began. "I'm trying to see if my friends and family are safe, if they're alive basically."
At Kramarczuk's Sausage Company in northeast Minneapolis, the fear was also setting in. "Andrii" – a 27-year-old who preferred to only use his first name -- moved to the United States from near Ivano-Frankivsk in July. Knowing only cursory English, Andrii shared his concerns through an interpreter.
"People are very worried about the situation," he said. "We had a problem when the pandemic hit, all the shelves in the cases wherever you go, it was all empty. The same thing is going on right now at grocery stores in Ukraine. People are really worried about not having food. They've started buying all the stuff from the grocery stores not to stay hungry."
Andrii says even going to work was a struggle knowing the situation back home.
"We're all people," he said. "Everyone wants to live in peace, you know? Nobody wants to have a war and like a fight against each other."
"Nobody could really believe that Putin would have the audacity and the cruelty to attack an independent country," Anastazievsky said. "Some people are panicking and they're evacuating to safer parts of the country, except it's unclear if there's safer parts of the country right now because Russia is attacking on all sides."
