Ukrainians hearts ache as two year mark of war approaches
MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches two years on Saturday.
As the war continues -- the hearts of Ukrainians living in Wisconsin ache for an end.
The feeling of knowing your family is miles away from missiles does not get easier for Ruslana Westerland. She says since the start of the war fear constantly runs through her mind.
“My nephews, one of them lives in Kyiv, and he occasionally sends me footage of the sky lit up by the missiles or explosions,” said Westerland, Ukrainian activist.
As the two year mark approaches of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia -- Ruslana Westerland says she continues to hear heartbreaking news from her family in Ukraine.
“My dad tells me stories of missile was intercepted seven miles away from where he lives, so that’s like from here to Costco,” she said.
Right now, her cousin is serving in the war. “He came home wounded one summer,” Westerland said. “Then they patched him up and he went back into a different territory. But these are my cousins, like my family, that are in this trying to fight for our country.”
With no end in sight -- a UW Madison professor in Russian Studies believes changes need to happen in Russia.
“For example with maybe a new government coming to power that would want to stop this war and withdraw Russian troops for from Ukraine, or maybe Ukraine receiving some massive game changing support from its international partners,” Mikhail Trotskiy, UW- Madison professor said. “Short of that, I think fighting is going to continue.”
Since February 24, 2022, Westerland and her neighbors have had flags flying outside their homes and those flags are still there.
“We have been crushed and at the same time encouraged by the global support by the local activists and the global coalition of volunteers that have held up our country in different ways,” Westerland said.
Westerland is the president of the Friends of Ukraine Madison. She says tomorrow they will host a gathering in front of the state capitol at 1 p.m. to commemorate the second year of the war.
