Baltimore residents with Ukrainian roots reject Russia's attempt to annex parts of the country
BALTIMORE -- Vladimir Putin is paving the way to annex parts of Ukraine and escalate Russia's war against the country.
Putin claims that residents of a large part of Ukraine have overwhelmingly voted to join Russia.
This decision was made in referendums that both Ukraine and the United States have dismissed as illegitimate.
This is the latest development as anger spills into the streets.
Hundreds of Russians have been clashing with the police over a decision to mobilize additional soldiers.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine, people continue to resist Russia's tactics.
"We are dealing with a bully and the bully is using various tactics in order to scare the West," Baltimore resident Ann Kerda said.
Kerda lives in Baltimore but her roots are in Ukraine. She still has family and friends in Ukraine who are trying to prepare for the worst as Putin threatens to use sham elections and nuclear weapons to destroy the country.
"Are they prepared? No. No one's prepared. The world's not prepared," Kerda said. "They don't want a nuclear disaster. But if they have to live through it, they will live through it because it is their territory."
The war that Russia launched against Ukraine is reaching the seven-month mark and there appears to be no end in sight.
"To see everything become nothing but a pile of ash is absolutely horrible" Ukrainian-Baltimorean Halyna Mudryj said.
The war has other ramifications too.
It has had a domino effect on Europe and beyond, from grain distribution in Somalia to gas prices in the United States, Mudryj said.
"It's heart wrenching," she said.
But Ukrainians will stay strong despite their circumstances, Kedrasaid.
"They know that Ukraine and the warriors are not going to stop," Kedra said. "Their aim is to get back Crimea. Their aim is to get back all occupied territory."