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Hundreds of people gathered at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church Sunday afternoon to stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

Nataliya Kolesova, a member of the congregation, is a second-year doctoral student in teaching and curriculum at Syracuse University’s School of Education and a paralympic athlete. Her daughter and mother, alongside her friends and other family members, still live in Rivne in western Ukraine, where she grew up.

But after she read about Russia’s invasion in the news, she said she hasn’t been able to return to her studies. Instead, she’s been constantly calling her friends and family to encourage and pray with them.

“It’s heartbreaking for me,” Kolesova said. “I can’t do anything to protect my family. I live here. I cannot come to Ukraine, have a weapon in my hand and defend my motherland.”

Kolesova said that, though the situation is uncertain, her friends and family in Ukraine are determined to stay and withstand the invasion, unwilling to let their home be overtaken without a fight. But they know that things could take a turn for the worse.

“My family are sitting now in my house, and they are waiting for the most dangerous night of their lives,” she said.

Kolesova has a 26-year-old daughter and a mother in her 60s. She said she is not sure if she could see them again.

“I’m a human being and it’s painful,” she said. “I am afraid. I want my daughter to live a long life. I want to have grandchildren in the future. I want to see my friends, live my mother’s life. I want to be able to travel to my beautiful motherland.”

Members of the community gathered at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church. Meghan Hendricks | Photo Editor

Outside the church, Dmytro Kuchirka, a senior economics and international relations major at SU from Ukraine, gave a speech to the crowd about the need to persevere and support Ukraine. He said that his parents are still in Kyiv, hiding in their basement as the city is bombarded with missiles.

He then pointed to several avenues for individuals to help Ukraine, including supporting verified organizations that provide aid and working with the Ukrainian Club of Syracuse University on its efforts and projects.

Kuchirka emphasized that the world must stand up against authoritarian and tyrannical actions such as the recent invasion to preserve democracy and the sovereignty of smaller nations.

“Now we must not let that happen as the younger generation,” he said.

Sign up form to get involved and help through Syracuse University’s Ukrainian Club.

Linh Nguyen, an operations research analyst at SU’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families, spoke after Kuchirka at the service Sunday and emphasized the strength in character of her country. Born in Kyiv, Nguyen said hearing the Ukrainian national anthem gives her a sense of warmth, support and belonging in an uncertain time.

“A lot of nations have been trying to uproot our culture,” Nguyen said. “We have built the culture to persevere.”

Nguyen said her family, who lives in Vietnam, were supposed to return to Ukraine in December but were unable to do so because of COVID-19 restrictions. She said the extent of the Ukrainian presence in the city has strengthened her resolve.

“I found Ukrainians to be incredibly resilient when it comes to unifying against something that is that atrocious,” Nguyen said. “There were not only Ukrainian people, but also people of Ukrainian descent and other American friends who came to support us, which I think stands as a proof of how strong this community is.”

Russia invaded Ukraine early Thursday morning with a blitz of strikes across the nation. But as of Sunday, Ukraine has put up resistance.

SU Chancellor Kent Syverud sent a campus-wide email Friday morning, condemning Russia’s invasion against Ukraine. He also said during Wednesday’s University Senate meeting that the conflict may be a potential challenge for the university community, given the large Ukrainian and Russian population at SU, as well as the high percentage of students, faculty and staff currently on active duty in military, guards and reserves.

“It’s not that sudden if you look back at things (Vladimir Putin) has said and done over the last 22 years,” said Brian Taylor, a professor at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs who specializes in Russian politics. “Ukraine has been for him a foreign policy priority for more than 20 years and it’s also been his greatest foreign policy failure. Everything he does to try and bring Ukraine into the Russian sphere of influence just encourages the Ukrainian government, Ukrainian people to work harder to try and pursue a pro-Western orientation.”

Taylor added that even if the Russians are successful in installing a “puppet” government in Ukraine, he still sees a Ukrainian insurgency succeeding.

“I don’t think the Ukrainians are just going to give up,” he said.

Grant Reeher, another political science professor at the Maxwell and the director of Campbell Public Affairs Institute, said in an email to The Daily Orange that the U.S. can show its support for Ukraine by providing a haven for refugees fleeing the violence. He added that Syracuse in particular is a hub for refugees, and that the immigrant communities already existing in the city — which includes Ukrainians — contribute greatly to the city’s diversity and economy.

Congregants raised the Ukrainian flag following the service. Meghan Hendricks | Photo Editor

On Thursday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that New York state stands ready to welcome Ukrainian refugees. New York has the largest Ukrainian immigrant population in the U.S., the release said.

“Our prayers are with the Ukrainian people, including those in New York who are scared for their family and loved ones,” Hochul said in the release. “Just as the Statue of Liberty stands tall in our harbor, New York stands ready to welcome Ukrainian refugees. We remain engaged with the Biden Administration and we will be prepared to accept and support those who seek shelter in our state.”

Hochul signed an executive order on Sunday directing all state agencies and authorities to divest public funds from Russia.

On Sunday at the service, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh affirmed the city’s strong support for its Ukrainian population.

“I just wanted to make sure as your mayor, you all know that the city of Syracuse, the people of the city of Syracuse stand strongly behind the people of Ukraine,” Walsh said. “You should know that the Ukrainian flag flies proudly from city hall today.”

Throughout the service, members of St. John’s congregation were brought to tears as the priest led them through prayer. But afterwards, the crowd moved outside. They gathered around a flagpole, holding signs and shrouded in Ukrainian flags.

As the flag was raised high on the flagpole, the sea of blue and yellow began to sing the Ukrainian national anthem in unison.

Published on February 28, 2022 at 12:55 am

Contact Richard: rcperrin@syr.edu | @richardperrins2