Ukrainians Rally At Massachusetts State House For Support After Russian Invasion
BOSTON (CBS) - Anya Dubrovyk is desperate to stay in touch with her mother Nyna in northwest Ukraine, just 40 miles from the border. "She was woken up by the sound of explosions," said Dubrovyk. "There are now bread shortages, at grocery stores people are buying up many loaves for their families."
Her brother is in the capital Kiev, and she worries for their safety with Russian troops advancing. "In case Russia occupies the land and keeps it, I will never be able to come back," Dubrovyk said. "I will never be able to see my family."
She came to the United States five years ago for a job in IT, but Ukraine is where her heart remains, and says her homeland could lose everything. "The giant threat right now is losing your identity, losing your land, losing your belongings, losing your lives," she said.
At the State House Thursday, there was a show of solidarity for Ukrainians living in Massachusetts. Olga Ivaniv says even her 80-year-old father is ready to join the military if necessary, believing Putin won't stop at Ukraine. "He wants to be a tyrant, that's what he's doing, he wants to occupy the whole Eastern Europe and Ukraine is just the first step," said Ivaniv.
Julian D'Andre's mother has crossed the border into Romania for safety. He wants the United States and NATO allies to take a stronger stand. "Take Russia off swiftly and sanction, sanction the heck out of them," D'Andre said.
Anya Dubrovyk says she only hopes each and every call with her mother won't be the last. "It's more and more horrible, it's like we are in hell," she said.