Central New Yorkers of Ukrainian heritage who’ve been watching Russia pummel their country remain steadfastly optimistic one year after the invasion began.
Last February, no one knew what to expect when Russian forces were gathering at the border. Local resident Lida Buniak, Syracuse chapter president of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, said what shouldn’t be a surprise is the resolve of the Ukrainians.
“Ukraine hasn't surrendered. Putin miscalculated. He thought it would be over very quickly," Buniak said. "And not only have we not surrendered, but we are now striving for victory. We're not defending the country anymore, we're striving for victory. We don't have a choice.”
But Mark Temnycky, a non-resident Fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia center and Syracuse University Maxwell graduate, said he worried the war wouldn't end soon.
“We all want this to end and there's only one way that the work and is it's by Russia losing,” Temnycky said. “Most Russians support their government and most Russians support the war and the invasion of Ukraine. So with those two points in mind, it's extremely unlikely that either a) the Russians want to come to some sort of peace negotiation, and b) that the Russians are interested in ending this war anytime soon.”
Temnycky, also an accredited freelance journalist who’s been covering eastern Europe for seven years, has family and friends in western Ukraine who’ve stayed as the war rages on. Two friends died while fighting on the front lines.
Buniak, who has friends and relatives there, said the indiscriminate destruction of hospitals, schools, and infrastructure has been devastating.
“My future daughter-in-law, her grandmother's in western Ukraine—even they have like one hour a day when the power goes on," said Buniak. "So that's when they can charge their phones and warm up. We feel a little bit cold, imagine over there, what that what they're dealing with.”
The war has displaced millions, with most Ukrainians fleeing to neighboring Poland. About 1,000 have ended up here in Central New York, according to numbers from Interfaith Works. In her role with the Ukrainian Congress Committee, Buniak works as a liaison of sorts connecting everyone from community members and volunteers to elected officials and the military both here and in Ukraine.
“We see pictures sometimes that you don't see of their perspective. It's heartbreaking," Buniak said. "It's incredible what people do, when you're met with a crisis, how you choose to behave and act says a lot about a person's character.”
Buniak said she’s in awe of their bravery. Meanwhile, her husband, who’s a doctor, is using his contacts to secure and ship surgical tools and other medical supplies.
“Through his medical association webinars, they find out the more higher level things, what can hospitals donate locally," said Buniak. "That is a continued process because the war is still going on, and this—despite the help—the impact is just so horrifically great.”
Buniak said there was a brief bright spot this week, when U.S. President Joe Biden paid a visit.
“This whole year, there's like this continuous, we have a continuous heavy heart and that for that one day, it was just, it was just incredible," Buniak said. It's just we're just also inspired.”
“President Biden understands this country he visited when he was vice president, on six occasions, he helped with Ukraine reform efforts," Temnycky said. "And in addition to with the Ukrainians working with the European Union, and allowed them to get visa free travel, which was very significant.”
Temnycky said the president’s visit strongly affirms Ukraine’s centuries-long fight for true sovereignty and democracy. He said that’s critical on a world stage.
“If Russia wins, and Ukraine loses, it informs other authoritarian leaders in their regimes that they can pretty much invade or do whatever they want to in the international community without being punished," Temnycky said. "And that's an example that we should not an example that we should not set in the international community.”
Temnycky said Russia is doing all it can to prolong the war in hopes of wearing down Ukraine and its allies.
“If fatigue occurs, it gives the Russians a chance to re strategize, reorganize, get weapons from some of their friendly or I don't want to say allies or friends but people like Iran, or, or China or the North Koreans, for example,” Temnycky said.
Buniak said the Russian invasion of Ukraine feels like a never-ending 9/11 terrorist attack.
“We felt violated as a country. Now imagine taking that and multiplying it," Buniak said. "But to this point where unprovoked all of a sudden that entire country is being attacked.”
She invites Central New Yorkers to mark the one year anniversary of the war with a candlelight vigil Saturday at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church on Tipperary Hill at 5 p.m.
