Refugees, deserters and politicians: anti-war rallies in support of Ukraine continue in America

For the second weekend in a row, protests in support of Ukraine continue in various cities of the United States and around the world against the backdrop of the war with Russia. Last Sunday, the Stands With Ukraine rally was held in the capital of California, Sacramento, organized by Ukrainian-American home. Not only representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora spoke in support of the victim of aggression, but also congressmen, senators, members of the Legislative Assembly (Assembly) of the State of California, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, as well as representatives of the National Guard of California, for many years actively collaborating with the Ukrainian military. In addition, Russian political refugees and activists spoke out in support of Ukraine.

Photo: Ksenia Kirillova

The price of victory depends on the help of allies

Consul General of Ukraine in San Francisco Dmitry Kushneruk recalled that in these very days Kharkov, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Nikolaev and other cities of Ukraine, unlike American cities, cannot enjoy a peaceful sky over their heads, and their inhabitants are daily bombarded from the air and from the ground.

«When the Ukrainians managed to capture the Russian pilot who bombed Chernihiv, he admitted during interrogation that he knew perfectly well that he was bombing the civilian population, and that was precisely his order. We are asking NATO to close the skies over Ukraine as this could save lives. Every day of delay brings new losses among civilians, including children", he stressed.

The Ukrainian consul said that Russian troops are planning to bomb defense plants, including those built many years ago. At that time they were on the outskirts of cities, but these cities have grown a long time ago, and now such bombardments will again lead to attacks on residential areas.

«One gets the impression that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is well aware that he will not bear any responsibility for his actions. Therefore, we are asking for both the closure of the sky and increased protection against Russian bombs and missiles, including more Javelins"He said.

Photo: Ksenia Kirillova

Dmitry Kushneruk stressed that he had no doubt that the Ukrainians would win this war because they were defending their homeland. The only question is the price of victory.

«Putin made a terrible mistake when he decided that the Ukrainian state does not exist. Now Ukrainians prove the opposite every day, demonstrating their determination to defend their own country.“- he concluded.

US military and Russian dissidents

Brigadier General of the California National Guard expressed his admiration for the courage and resilience of Ukrainians Peter Cross, who also joined the call to help Ukraine.

«Ukrainians are our close friends, and we perceive what is happening on a deeply personal level."He added.

Photo: Ksenia Kirillova

There were quite unexpected guests among the rally participants. Andrei, a former ensign of the Russian armed forces, admitted that he left the army back in November with the wording: "I do not want to carry out the criminal orders of the Putin regime."

«I used to adhere to oppositional views, did not believe in propaganda, communicated with dissidents. As a result, the command told me in plain text that they would send me to serve on the Ukrainian border as a punishment. I understood what it meant', he shares.

The rally was also attended by the coordinator of the Sacramento political emigrant assistance group Anna Berbeneva.

«Now is such an incredibly difficult time that I want to remind everyone: we are not Russians, Belarusians or Ukrainians, but people. It was the propaganda of hatred that led to the situation that we see. Therefore, now it is especially important to be careful, kind, attentive to each other, protect each other's feelings and support those who feel bad.”, she recalls in an interview with Forum Daily.

Anna knows firsthand what she is talking about. She herself, like many other refugees from Russia, had to lose everything because of her position. Now, according to her, there are more and more cases when people who have suffered from the Putin regime in Russia face insults and harassment in new countries only because of their Russian origin.

Photo: Ksenia Kirillova

war casualties

However, the rally once again showed that people who have directly gone through suffering are able to understand each other regardless of citizenship. Among the participants of the action were refugees from the bombed-out Kharkov, a city whose entire districts have been turned into ruins in recent days. Olga says that she ended up in America only because her daughter lives here, and she had an open visa. Her second daughter remained in Kharkov and cannot leave yet. Another Kharkiv woman also came to her daughter, Tatyana.

«I left when the city was already bombed, and it was very difficult to evacuate. Trains ran, but mostly foreign students were taken out on them. I still managed to leave, and the next day our street was bombed. My house was just demolished. Saltovka and Alekseevka are being heavily bombed now, the city center has been smashed to the ground. Kharkiv has been so beautiful in recent years! Now it simply does not exist, it is wiped off the face of the earth. It hurts a lot, of course.”, the refugee admits in an interview with our website.

The youngest son of Tatyana remained in Kharkov. As a medical student, the young man is currently undergoing an internship at a hospital.

«There are a lot of wounded, including children. At the same time, hospitals are constantly bombed - as well as kindergartens, schools, residential buildings. One day, an air raid alert found me at the station, and I also had to go down to the bomb shelter"She recalls.

Photo: Ksenia Kirillova

The rally participants once again remind: every day of open skies costs the lives of dozens of innocent people, and the appeasement of the aggressor has never led to its containment.

From myself, I can add only a small poetic sketch on the theme of the bombing - the mother's appeal to the child:

And again they did not let me sleep in the morning ...

Dear, why are you crying?

It's just such a game -

That a ball is falling from the sky.

And again underflight, and again not in us -

You see, we are lucky.

And this is not smoke and not gas at all,

Only the sky is covered with clouds.

Let's play hide and seek now -

Look, there's a hole dug there.

I'll just close the door behind us

And you pray to win...

Read also on ForumDaily:

Trump suggested that the US 'pretend to be Chinese' and attack Russia

In Russia, due to sanctions, problems with medicines and food began

An 11-year-old boy from Zaporizhia traveled alone a thousand kilometers to Slovakia to escape the war

Russia is preparing to disconnect from the global Internet and launch a 'sovereign network'

USCIS provides special services to immigrants affected by the war in Ukraine

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.