Bay Area Ukrainian Americans mark 1 year since Russian invasion at SF Embarcadero
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Hundreds of Ukrainian Americans and their allies marched and rallied Saturday to mark one year since the Russian invasion. Many Ukrainians are hopeful the fighting will end.
Ukrainians and their allies stood shoulder-to-shoulder, near San Francisco's Ferry Building to mark the beginning of a war that many never believed would still be raging one year later.
"Three hundred sixty-five days of Ukranian resilience because we turned out to be much stronger than the enemy thought, 365 days of wrath and anger," said Kushneruk Dmytro, Ukrainian Consul General of San Francisco.
"In our neighborhood, five houses were destroyed by the Russians," said Vlada Bisotska.
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Bisotska escaped her hometown of Kyiv after the Russian invasion. She says her father is fighting in the Ukrainian Army.
"Of course I'm scared. I'm worried. But I know that God gives him the strength and power to fight. He's fighting for us and our country," she said.
"You would never expect it, but we lasted a year against such evil, evil that does nothing but commit genocide," said Maria Tschernepenko, president of the Ukrainian American Coordinating Committee.
The Consul General estimates millions have left Ukraine since the war started, and thousands have sought asylum on the West Coast and Bay Area.
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"I'd say 30,000 to the West Coast -- we had many more Ukrainians come here to make it their new home," Dmytro said.
Many are thankful for America's support for Ukraine, including President Biden's visit there this week, but some do not want a protracted conflict.
Later, hundreds marched down The Embarcadero in a show of solidarity, many praying for victory and peace in their homeland.
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