KIEV, UKRAINE (WTAQ) – It’s something that’s been said several times over the course of the past few weeks – Ukrainians are a lot like people here in Northeast Wisconsin. So we got in contact with a few of them to see how they’re holding up in the storm of Russian invasion.
“We’ve had an interesting time over the past 24 hours,” said Mychailo Wynnyckyj. “I had to evacuate out of Kiev [Thursday] with my kids.”
Wynnyckyj is a professor at Khiv-Mohylha Academy, one of the premiere universities in Kiev. While he was expecting an attack, he says what happened on Thursday was still a surprise attack.
“We weren’t expecting a full on attack from all sides. Particularly a rocket attack that actually included western Ukraine as well,” he told WTAQ News. “The rocket attack was national, we had air strikes, and we had attempts at paratroopers coming into Kiev and a land attack into Kiev.”
But up to the point we spoke with Wynnyckyj on what was late Friday night in Kiev, those attacks hadn’t necessarily been going well for Vladimir Putin’s regime.
“That has been actually all very unsuccessful on the Russians part. I think that’s the main thing that has really surprised an awful lot of people, is that I think Putin was expecting a cakewalk into Ukraine, and he certainly hasn’t gotten it,” Wynnyckyj said. “I’ve actually witnessed a couple of really phenomenal things. We’ve had non-soldiers with rifles shooting at paratroopers before they land, people that are mobilizing in the thousands to go into the territorial brigades ready to defend their homes.”
Listen to our full conversation with Wynnyckyj right here:
Meanwhile, Taras Ferenceviych is on this side of the Atlantic. The New Jersey-based Ukrainian-American has relatives in Ukraine, as well as Northeast Wisconsin.
“I don’t know of anyone who is not actively engaged in some sort of resistance,” Ferenceviych told WTAQ News.
One of the morbid jokes in Ukraine is that Putin made Ukraine more united and stronger – against this terrible lunatic.
Ferencevyich is the son of two Ukrainian immigrants, has worked in Ukraine, and has even served on advisory boards for civil groups in the country. But both he and Wynnyckyj have a message to people in the western world – and the United States.
“The message to Americans is that this is a democracy at the heart of Europe, and it’s unfathomable that something like this is going on,” Ferencevyich said. “I don’t think that should be a surprise to anybody, right? Like any functioning democracy expects to be able to stay a democracy, expects to not have their neighbor come in and make these outrageous claims to their territory and sovereignty.”
“If you want to help us, dear Americans, don’t put boots on the ground. We will handle things on our own here. We need your support, we desperately need air support. Ukraine needs to be made into a no fly zone, it can be done with a political decision, and we need that political decision,” Wynnyckyj added. “The air superiority of Russia is significant. That’s why we’re constantly talking about the fact that we need air cover, and we’re asking for a no-fly zone from the west. In other words, if you want to help us, help us in the air. We’ll be able to handle things on the ground, but please help us in the air.”
But just how well are the Ukrainians holding up? Well, as Wynnyckyj previously explained, regular citizens are going after Russian troops – and winning.
The Russians that have been coming into the country are certainly not motivated. Many of them have not been given commands
One of the events Wynnyckyj witnessed involved exactly that situation.
“These soldiers stopped in their armored personnel carrier and asked a local directions to the presidential administration. Within 30 seconds, these people are surrounded by locals,” he said. “They were arrested within 15 minutes, then the army arrives and basically we’ve got four [prisoners of war] captured, that’s four Russian paratroopers captured, without a shot being fired. By the way, on the Ukrainian side, nobody had any had any weapons…It’s it’s ridiculous, because obviously you’re fighting against people that are not motivated. At the same time, even the locals are motivated enough to get on top of an APC an pull out a Russian soldier.”
Wynnyckyj says the Ukrainians are very highly motivated to remain independent, and the Russian soldiers simply can’t match the energy.
“If we face an army of even 100,000 or 120,000, whatever it is the number that he throws at us, these are not cracked troops. These are, quite frankly, very much unmotivated…drunkards in many cases that don’t know where they are and have no idea why they should be fighting…many of them are are giving up before the fight even starts,” he said. “They get captured and they’re asked – ‘what are you doing here?’ And the answer is:
‘Well, we were told that we were on some sort of a training mission and we didn’t really realize that we’re actually going to be killing people. So, you know, we’re not interested in fighting.’
Listen to our audio feature of the story here:
Ferencevyich pointed out that the people of Ukraine are accustomed to independence and freedom, and take offense to Putin’s claim that their people – and land – is actually Russian.
“They don’t know anything else. These aren’t folks who were in the Soviet Union, these are folks who have known for either their entire life or most of their life, an independent country,” Ferencevyich said. “They’ve traveled to Europe. They’ve had contact with the rest of the world. And they’re not going to give that up easily. They’re certainly not going to run away and make it easier for the aggressor to fulfill this deluded fantasy driven by imperialism…If Russian people start to see and go ‘Wait a second, look at the Ukrainians! They have freedom, they have self-determination,’ and they might get ideas of their own. That’s the biggest threat to Putin and his cronies, and that’s why they want to squash this.”
“We didn’t attack anybody. We haven’t been threatening anybody. We haven’t started this war, but at the end of the day, we will finish it. If it means that we’re going to be contributing to to Putin’s downfall, then that’s possibly what will have to happen,” Wynnyckyj added.
However, Wynnyckyj acknowledges that Russia has likely yet to field its entire force against Ukraine, and there’s quite a bit left in the tank.
Growing up in Canada, Wynnyckyj recalled an episode of M*A*S*H that rings true still today.
“Well look, at the end of the day, this is a war,” he said. “There’s this one episode where they talk about ‘Rule number one: young men die. Doctors can’t change rule number number one.’ It’s the same type of thing here. We’ve been attacked, and people die.”
And that’s why he – and his family – remain underground. At least for now.
“Tonight is difficult because we’ve got air raids again, and it looks like the Russians have decided that their second wave is going to be a little stronger than their first, because they got a bloody nose on their first…it’s sad and it’s angry, and the fact that I have to keep my kids tonight in a basement with all the lights in the house off and dark is frustrating and just, I mean, it’s wrong,” Wynnyckyj said. “There is an air-raid warning, and one of the reasons we’re keeping things dark is because we don’t want to attract anybody. There have been explosions in the area, so we’re going to keep things quiet. I’m not sure how much rest I’m going to get, but at the end of the day, I guess adrenaline is the main fuel of war anyways.”
The fight continues. And while the massive Russian power may attempt to intimidate the Ukrainian people – it seems there is nothing Putin can do to break their spirit.
“The Ukrainians are prepared for a long haul. This is not going to end soon, and we’re very, very mobilized. There’s a lot of really, really motivated people in this country that are are here to protect our homes, protect our country, protect our democracy, and just protect Ukraine,” Wynnyckyj said.
This country’s indestructible, this nation’s indestructible.
WTAQ is scheduled to speak with another Kiev citizen this weekend. That conversation will be added to this story.
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