My journey through my family genealogy has led me to meet a great many people all around the world. With the events of the past several days – namely the aggressive Russian invasion of Ukraine – the lives of several dear Ukrainian friends have come into sharp focus. Here in USA, the news we’re getting about the invasion is on a macro level; so far, we’re hearing about specific areas of conflict, what the Russian battle plans might be, or how the West hopes to respond. So far, I have seen very little information on the micro level – about how this diabolical incursion by Russia is affecting normal Ukrainians. But it’s very important for those of us in the West, safe in our suburban enclaves, to understand that real people are suffering right now… and they need help.
My friend Alex is a man from the Volhynian city of Zhytomyr. Zhytomyr is located about 75 miles due west of Kyiv and with a population of just over 250,000, is one of the more important cities in west-central Ukraine. Alex is an historian and a tour guide. He has helped me for years to access archives here and there in Ukraine and produced documents for me which have helped to greatly enhanced my knowledge of my ancestors. Alex used to work as an archivist in Zhytomyr but in recent years has been primarily a tour guide taking descendants of German settlers to their ancestral villages.
Alex lives with his wife, Vika, and two daughters and they are a picture-perfect family. COVID hit them hard and Vika was sick for a long time. She’s finally recovering nicely and is able to get back to the family’s other passion – their work for charity. Both Alex and Vika are instrumental with their work for Samaritan Ministries in Ukraine. The organization has been active for almost 30 years helping under-privileged people in Ukraine in a number of different ways.
But then came the Russian invasion of February 24. On the 25th, I messaged Alex to see if he was safe. His reply came almost immediately – he with his wife and daughters, along with 2 or 3 other families, had traveled to Ustylúh which is a town on the Ukrainian-Polish border. Alex’s brother lives in Poland, so the family’s goal was to go to Poland to avoid the war. Approaching Ustylúh, they found that the line to cross the border was about 10 kilometers long. As they began their wait in line, Alex discovered that he would not be allowed to cross the border. An order had been issued by the Ukrainian government that no Ukrainian males between the ages of 18 to 60 would be allowed to leave – they were all necessary for the defense of the country.
Alex’s heart sank as he realized that he would be separated from his family. His brother was already waiting for his family on the Polish side of the border, and when they reached the head of the line to be processed, Vika and the girls would be allowed to cross the border – but Alex would have to remain in Ukraine. Thus began an excruciating wait. As their place in line drew nearer and nearer to the border, Alex knew that his time with his family was growing ever shorter. After they crossed the border, would he ever see them again? He would return to Ukraine to place his life on the line for the defense of Ukraine… and his family would be safe in Poland. But would this be the last goodbye?
After a 35-hour wait, Alex hugged his wife and daughters for the last time. They put on brave faces and took a quick group photo. I can’t even begin to imagine the emotions involved with this nightmare situation. Vika and the girls safely met Alex’s brother on the other side of the border and Alex, heartbroken, was left on the east side to find his way back to Zhytomyr any way he could.
The roads across the countryside in Ukraine are particularly dangerous since the invasion. The locals are setting up checkpoints to stop all vehicles since the presence of saboteurs is already well-established. These saboteurs are Russian sympathizers who seek to infiltrate the countryside and pave the way for the Russian military. They’re leaving paint marks on roads or tying ribbons on trees to mark military rendezvous points. Locals are destroying these markers when they find them and beginning to check every vehicle’s purpose. Alex was looking at a 275-mile hitchhike trip across dangerous countryside.
Alex walked for about 10km until some good people on their way to Radomyshl picked him up. When I last checked with him, he was walking the remaining distance to his home. It was an excruciating journey but he’ll make it.
He doesn’t know what to expect when he gets home. His wife and daughters were turned into refugees and he, a scholarly historian, has been turned into a soldier. He is happy to fight for his beloved homeland but it’s not really what he was cut out to do. He’ll meet up with friends in Zhytomyr and help prepare defenses. And as the Russians advance, the danger to his own well-being increases. Vika and the girls are safe in Łódź, Poland – for now.
This innocent family has been torn apart – just like thousands of others in Ukraine. Alex will bravely put his life on the line for the defense of Ukraine – just like thousands of other Ukrainian men are doing. What is the West doing to alleviate the situation? Not enough. Feckless Western leaders have sat on their hands for years while Putin has prepared the way for such an invasion. We could easily follow the thread of events over the last 10-15 years that have led to Putin finally feeling empowered enough to launch this incursion. Western leaders stand poised to just let this atrocious tyrant recklessly violate Ukraine’s sovereignty. They’ll level sanctions at Putin. Yeah, that oughta do the trick. Please. I’m just some guy living a quiet life in the Midwest USA and I can tell you from here that the only thing Putin understands is boots on the ground. Sanctions will do nothing and after Ukraine falls and all the Ukrainians begin to suffer fates similar to Alex, then Lithuania and Estonia and Latvia… and Poland, are next.
Слава Україні!
Героям слава!
