Because of the war, a Russian restaurant in New York became Ukrainian

Sometimes war means one choice or another. This is exactly what Svetlana Savchits did recently when she renamed her Manhattan Russian diner into a Ukrainian restaurant, even though little has actually changed, reports New York Daily News.

Sveta's on Carmine Street in the West Village was originally described as Russian by the owner. a restaurantbecause she felt Americans were more familiar with Russian food. But Russia's invasion of Ukraine has forced Savchits to rethink how she identifies.

“My mother is Russian, my father is Jewish, I lived in Ukraine for 33 years. Who am I?" asks Savchyts, who is originally from Kharkov.

“My family is there, my two sisters. They are bombed every day, every day,” laments Savchits, who runs the restaurant with her son Alan Agichev.

One night, a bomb went off behind the house of one of her sisters and destroyed half of the building. The members of her family who remained in Ukraine fled to Germany or moved to relatives in other regions. Ukraine.

After the start of the war, Svetlana began to identify her restaurant as Ukrainian, not Russian. The hostess says that many guests of the institution want to support Ukraine.

“People who come to my restaurant - Americans, Indians, African Americans - every day support me and Ukraine. Many people ask: “How can I send money to Ukraine?” Amazing, just amazing!” — admires Savchits.

She made minor changes to the menu that reflect Svetlana's roots: Russian toast became Ukrainian, and Russian borscht was renamed Ukrainian, blue and yellow "Mimosa" appeared.

“Before, it didn’t matter to me - Russia, Ukraine. The same culture, the same food, but now I say: “Guys, sorry, I'm not from Russia. I am from Ukraine…” she explained.

Svetlana sends part of her income to help Ukrainians.

On the subject: They collect weapons and help: how residents of small towns in the state of New York help Ukraine

“I don't know how to explain it,” she says, trying to describe her feelings about the war. I lived there for 33 years. America is my country, but Ukraine is different. It's like a piece of my heart. I pray every day, every morning.”

Savchits believes that Ukraine is not at war with the people of Russia. Basically one person is to blame.

“No one understands what Putin wants from Ukraine,” she said. “Because there are no fascists, there are no Nazis that he talks about.”