'I Stand With Ukraine,' Russian Business Owner In North Texas Says Sanctions Impacting Him, Not Putin
CARROLLTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - While Ukrainians are fighting off the Russian invasion to protect their country, many Russians in North Texas are also angry about the conflict.
"He's old and crazy. He wants to leave his trace in history," said Mikhail Uspenski, Owner of Russian Banya about Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Uspenski moved to North Texas recently and is currently in the process of renovating and taking over Russian Banya in Carrollton.
"I want to share my Russian soul and my Russian experience with Americans," added Uspenski.
Russian Banya is a café and spa including a sauna all in one building. When he bought the place he noticed a large picture of a building he admired in Moscow but with this recent Russian invasion he spray painted over it.
"This was just my statement, my expression of my feelings. I want to get rid of this Putin's government from the loveliest place in the planet for me, from the heart of our country from Kremlin," said Uspenski.
Despite what's happening with the Russian invasion, and some other businesses removing the name 'Russian' off their store names or on products, Uspenski is defiant in not doing that with his business.
"I am Russian, I'm proud to be Russian. Russia and Russian is not Putin and current government so they will pass, they will go but Russia will stay," said Uspenski, "I don't think that if somebody is acting on behalf of Russians this way I have to give up my Russian nature. I'm proud I'm Russian. I'm proud of that and I'll never give it up."
Texas Governor Greg Abbott urged all businesses to remove Russian products from their shelves, Uspenski doesn't like that idea because he says it really doesn't affect Putin but rather businesses like his.
"Putin is the one who is making evil... target him. Whatever sanction you made previously they actually influence the regular people. I'm suffering because of this financial sanctions."
Uspenski is hoping for this conflict to end, so Russians, Ukrainians and anyone else can just sit around a table, enjoy a drink together at a banya like his, "I stand with Ukraine definitely though I love my country, I love the people there."
