On Feb. 24 President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian military forces to invade Ukraine.
Since then, Americans have watched the war in Ukraine play out on social media. In Russia, Alex Luhn, a Vice World news reporter was filming a TikTok of the anti-war protest that was happening and was arrested. After he told police he is an American journalist he was let go to continue coverage of the anti- war protest.
Meanwhile in Ukraine, President Zelenskyy filmed himself talking about what is happening in his country.
When comparing the Russian and Ukrainian active military members, Russia outnumbers Ukraine by 703,400. This doesn’t stop the Ukrainian military and its citizens from taking up arms and fighting against the Russian “war machine.”
Oleksandr Lykhopoi, a junior information technology major from Oleksandriya, Ukraine, said: “Honestly I am surprised how Ukrainian soldiers stand against one of the most powerful and biggest armies in the world. I’m proud of my nation and the nations that have supported us.”
Ukraine has seen support from its allies in the west and even from countries who are connected too Russia.
Ukraine has been fighting during the last onslaught of missile strikes that have struck civilian areas in Kharkiv. With massive amounts of destruction and death, the Ukrainian people continue fighting and resisting the Russian Military.
Vince Brown, visiting instructor of the practice in political science, said: “They are fighting and fighting surprisingly well, and I think that the Russians are shocked. The Russians keep trying to send in assassination squads to assassinate Zelenskyy and they keep failing…. But I sure admire what they [the Ukrainian people] are doing and they are putting up a good fight against this naked aggression.”
The Ukrainian people have been utilizing weapons that their government has handed out to them. Some citizens are making Molotov Cocktails to defend themselves against Russia’s Army.
The U.S. and its allies have already put severe sanctions on Russia, going as far as removing several Russian banks from the Swift Banking System. This has caused the Russian Ruble to fall dramatically and cause the Russian economy to see a swift decline.
Many countries have been sending weapons and aid to Ukraine as well:
- U.S. sent $350 million worth of weapons to Ukraine on Feb 25th.
- European Union has coordinated 450 million euros worth of weapons to Kyiv.
- United Kingdom pledged to send light anti-amour defensive weapon systems, lethal aid in the form of defensive weapons and non-lethal aid.
- France sent both military aid and fuel.
- Netherlands sent 200 Stinger Air defense rockets and 50 “Panzerfaust 3” anti-tank weapons with 400 rockets.
- Germany sent 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles from Bundeswehr stocks.
Utah has shown support for Ukraine with a rally held Feb. 28 at the Utah State Capitol Building. The rally showed solidarity and support for Ukraine and for Ukrainians living in Utah.
Lykhopoi said, “I have only good thoughts about the people in Utah who are showing support for Ukraine. I am thankful for their decision to help and support us and our nation.”
Many Utahns who are originally from Ukraine and Russia still have family and friends there.
Shadman Bashir, director of international students and scholars office, said: “There are Russian students and people who have family in Ukraine and Ukrainians that have family in Russia. We also have students on campus who have some family in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Thirty years ago it was all one country until the Soviet Union disintegrated.”
The international student scholarship office has been a point of contact for community members who are wanting to reach out to students from both Ukraine and Russia. Bashir has been giving these students contact information of community members who are interested in helping our Ukrainian and Russian students. Bashir also said these students come from different cultural backgrounds, and both the student body and community members need to understand these students are going through a lot at this time.
While it is too early to speculate how the war in Russia will go, there is hope for the future of Ukraine and Russia amongst students and faculty at Dixie State University.
Brown said, in the words of his daughter, “Stay strong, fight, fight.”
DSU’s Ukrainian students are hopeful of their country. Lykhopoi said, “I hope to see my country in the EU as the one that has a high level of life, economically strong, and can give opportunity to its citizens, not the one that is razed to the ground by the aggressor.”
