What Ukrainians in New York think about the situation at home

Millions of Ukrainians live in different countries of the world. Now they are having a hard time with political situation at home. Being tens of thousands of kilometers from their native land, they worry about their relatives and friends. DW talked to Ukrainians in New York and got their opinion on the situation.

in New York East Village lives the largest Ukrainian diaspora in the United States. There is a Ukrainian bank, a school and restaurants in the area. An estimated 80 people in the East Village have Ukrainian roots.

Vitaliy Desyatnichenko works as a manager in New York restaurant "Veselka".

“It worries me a lot. This is not easy to survive, all this news comes every day. I'm very worried. Now they really say that some things can happen in the near future,” says Vitaly. He added that he often couldn't sleep at night due to worries about his homeland.

Vitaly has been living in the USA for several years. According to him, this country gives him many opportunities, including security. At the moment, he is most worried about his parents living in Kiev.

Vitaly's mom says they are keeping calm because they have one child and he is abroad.

“I don’t know how we would feel if he was in Ukraine. Maybe we would have to worry every second,” she added.

On the subject: New Yorkers urged to exercise caution amid Russian threat of hacker attacks

On February 17, in the UN Security Council, Russia accused Ukraine of genocide in the territories controlled by the separatists. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Russia was simply looking for a pretext for war. As a result, on February 21, Russia recognized the independence of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.

Rally at the UN building

Members of the Ukrainian community gathered outside the UN building to demand more sanctions on Russia.

Member of the Committee of the Ukrainian Congress of America Andrey Dobryansky said that the sanctions adopted 5-7 years ago are not enough.

“Russia has changed its financial structure to have more reserves in the face of sanctions. She is used to these sanctions. We need new sanctions, and we need them now, not later,” Dobryansky said.

One of the rally participants said: "We do not trust Putin, we want to see the facts that the Russian troops are leaving."

“Russia must remain on its territory. And leave Ukraine the way it wants to be – a free country, an independent country,” said another participant in the rally.

Far from home, but with the motherland in mind

Stepan Rogulsky came to the US from a small town in western Ukraine 14 years ago in search of a better life. Today he owns the five-star Varenyk House restaurant in Ridgewood, Queens. Rogulsky's parents, grandparents remain in Ukraine, on the brink of war, says FOX 5 NY.

“The biggest concern is that there is no smoke without fire, so something is happening, but nobody wants something more terrible to happen,” he said.

Member of the City Council Inna Vernikov was also born in Ukraine, when it was still part of the Soviet Union. She emigrated to the United States with her family in 1996.

“It is very important for Ukrainians to be independent,” she said. “They have done a lot for their independence, and Ukraine is a sovereign country that should be able to join where they want to join.”

Vernikov represents Gravesend, Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, and Brighton Beach, known to many as Little Odessa because of its large but close-knit Ukrainian population, on the City Council.