By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

January 26, 2024 (Spring Valley) - St. Mary’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Spring Valley has been a place of worship for Ukrainians across San Diego since 1960. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the small church has welcomed and helped many Ukrainian refugees—and has also gathered humanitarian relief supplies to send to war-torn Ukraine.

East County News Service

June 4, 2022 (San Diego) – The House of Ukraine invites the public to join in a #SaveUkrainianChildren peaceful rally tonight at 5 p.m. followed by a candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. as part of a worldwide effort to help Ukrainian children amid the Russian invasion.

Source: House of Ukraine

April 14, 2022 (San Diego) – The House of Ukraine invites the public to join in a “Freedom for Ukraine” rally on Saturday, April 16 at 1 p.m. at 1600 North Harbor Drive in San Diego (corner of W. Ash St. and North Harbor Drive).  The Russian invasion of Ukraine has resulted in massive loss of civilians’ life and evidence of war crimes by Russia.

Warning: Graphic and disturbing content

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Bucha civilians reportedly massacred by Russians, Ukraine Ministry of Digital Development Mikhail Fedorov post on Twitter

April 4, 2022 (Ukraine) – After Russian troops withdrew from several besieged Ukrainian cities, horrifying evidence of war crimes have emerged. International media, human rights groups, and Ukrainian officials have all provided documentation of atrocities including mass graves, executions of civilians – some with hands bound behind their backs, rapes, murders including children, bodies boobytrapped with bombs, and efforts to cover up war crimes by burning bodies. 

By Kylie Dees

March 18, 2022 (San Diego) -- "The war between Russia and Ukraine is absolutely barbaric...and unthinkable on its scale. We are all deeply devasted," Russian language instructor Dana Shembel at San Diego State University said in an interview with East County Magazine.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Security footage shows fire at at  Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in the southern Ukrainian city of Enerhodar

Update March 4, 2022: The fire has been extinguished and the containment vessel has not been breached, according to Ukrainian authorities.

March 3, 2022 (San Diego) – "As a result of continuous enemy shelling of buildings and units of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is on fire,"  Dmytro Orlov, mayor of Enerhodar, a city in southern Ukraine, posted tonight on  hisTelegram channel. The facility contains six nuclear reactors.

The nuclear facility is the site where Ukrainian citizens have gathered in recent days forming a human shield in an effort to prevent Russian troops from capturing the nuclear plant. 

By Matthew Manosh

Scroll down to links to videos from vigils

March 1, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- Local Ukrainian-Americans gathered in demonstrations these past few days in solidarity with their nation, which is under attack from Russian forces. Thursday night,  a prayer vigil was held in Santee on a vacant lot, where there are plans to build a Ukrainian Catholic Church. Father Yurii Sas of St. John the Baptizer Catholic Church in San Diego led his congregation in prayer and song, asking for God to protect his people in the Ukraine:

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: First night of bombing in Kyiv,via Kristine Alessio from a friend in Ukraine

February 27, 2022 (San Diego) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia’s nuclear deterrent missile system to be on high alert, in response to what he calls “dangerous rhetoric” from the West and growing resistance to Russian forces that have invaded the Ukraine, Reuters reports.

Also today, for the first time in history, the 27-nation member European Union today announced it will send weapons to a nation at war, the Ukraine. Europe and Canada have banned all Russian aircraft from their airspaces, including planes belonging to Russian Oligarchs. In addition, the EU also banned airing of broadcasts by RT (Russian Times), Russia’s state media outlet.

NATO has activated forces to defend NATO nations in the event Russia’s military aggression advances to other nations that are NATO members, which the Ukraine is not. Under the North American Treaty Organization alliance, an attack on one nation is considered an attack on all.

The Pentagon has responded to its NATO commitment by sending B-52 bombers to patrol the skies over Eastern European allied territory, Newsweek reports today.

By Miriam Raftery

February 25, 2022 (San Diego) – A humanitarian crisis is growing after Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. Over 100,000 Ukrainians have fled their homes, the United Nations estimates. The UN predicts the number of refugees could reach several million, Voice of America reports. Those remaining in the Ukraine face potential food shortages, medical needs for those injured, and damage to key  buildings and infrastructure. 

Some legitimate aid organizations are stepping up to help Ukrainians in their homeland as well as refugees. But California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a warning of fraudulent charities, and provided tips for how to choose reputable organizations if you wish to donate.

Here are several reputable, long-standing charities now providing aid for Ukrainians, where you can make a one-time or recurring donation:

While world leaders denounce Russia for violating international law,  on eve of invasion Trump praised Putin for recognizing separatist regions as independent, predicted Russian president intended to "keep the peace."

By Miriam Raftery

Updated 2:06 p.m. with additional comments from Sara Jacobs.

February 24, 2022 (San Diego) – In defiance of international law, according to the United Nations, Russia last night launched a full-scale attack on the Ukraine including missile attacks on the capital, Kyiv, military targets and other cities far beyond separatist regions in dispute. Russian troops and tanks are also moving in on three sides of the Ukraine in the largest military threat Europe has faced since World War II.

Ukraine’s leaders have fled the capitol.  Chillingly, today exiled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted, ““Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the Chernobyl [Nuclear Power Plant]. Our defenders are sacrificing their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated," rerferring to the core meltdown at the nuclear reactor site

He added, “This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe.” 

President Joe Biden condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin for choosing ”a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering,” adding,”The world will hold Russia accountable.” In addition to sanctions already imposed, Biden announced he will convene a meeting of G7 leaders today and coordinate with NATO allies to ensure “a strong, united response that deters any aggression against the Alliance. Tonight, Jill and I are praying for the brave and proud people of the Ukraine.”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Map of Ukraine, cc by NC via Bing

January 25, 2022 (San Diego) – Fears that Russia aims to invade the Ukraine have grown in recent weeks, after Russia sent an estimated 100,000 troops to the Ukrainian border, staged military exercises and demanded that NATO deny admission to the former Soviet-bloc nation. The U.S. has sent arms to the Ukraine and has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of severe sanctions if he orders an attack on the Ukraine, which U.S. President Joe Biden says would be “the largest invasion since World War II. It would change the world.”

San Diego Ukranians Speak Out

“My 17 year old friend was shot by snipers for delivering vegetables to protestors in independence square.”—Vera Skop, San Diego

By Jessica Richmond

March 14, 2014 (San Diego)-- Since the February 28^th takeover of the Crimean region in the Ukraine by unmarked Russian troops, Ukrainians have been asking, “Are we safe from Russian expansionism?” In San Diego, with a population of approximately 15,000 Ukrainians, this has become a sensitive topic. Sources from Ukraine confirm that family members at home and abroad are equally worried about the escalating encroachment of Russia on the sovereign Ukrainian territory of Crimea.