As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, many across the world are watching the conflict closely.
That includes Cabot resident Roman Kokodyniak. Kokodyniak and his family immigrated to the United States after WWII. He grew up in a Ukrainian community in Cleveland, Ohio, and his parents were born in eastern Ukraine, which was Polish territory at the time. Kokodyniak has also served as an international election observer under the auspices of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
VPR’s Mitch Wertlieb spoke with Kokodyniak to learn more about the history of Ukraine. Their conversation is below and has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Mitch Wertlieb: As I understand it, Roman, you have family and friends and even some former colleagues in Ukraine now. Have you been able to stay in contact with them? And how are they doing if you've been able to reach them?
Roman Kokodyniak: Yes, I've had many phone calls. In fact, every day I'm in contact with friends who have been in Kyiv and are now moving west. Although one friend, Mykhailo, Michael, has remained in Kyiv in a high rise on the left bank and continues to go to work at his job at the Parliament, where he's head of facilities.
My last call with him yesterday morning. You know, this is classic Ukrainian humor; he was sharing anecdotes with me that probably the tipping point for Putin was when Ukraine applied to UNESCO to have borsch as their heritage food. And that probably really ticked off Putin — he just couldn't stand it anymore. It gives you an idea as to how people are managing, but clearly, there is more and more concern.
More from VPR News: A Bennington College student on being home in Ukraine during Russia's invasion
I have family that are mostly in central and western Ukraine, and they're just hunkering down and actually trying to go out and help with the refugee migrant movement. I have a couple of friends that have piled their families into small vehicles, small Toyotas with whatever possessions they can get, have left their apartments and are gradually moving to various places in the West, but leaving behind elders. For example, my friend, Victor, his wife has a sister in Kiev and her mother, a 91-year-old mother who can't go, so the sister has stayed behind with the elder. You know, and very, very painful, trying to figure out how to get them out safely.
One of the things that strikes me, Roman, is that for a lot of Americans, Ukraine was just not something they knew a lot about — a country that maybe they used to associate it with the USSR when it was part of the Soviet Union. Can you give us a —and I know this is hard to do — but kind of a thumbnail sketch of the history of this land, the people of this land and what has changed about it and why they are valuing their independence so much now since the fall of the Soviet Union?
Ukraine is a very resource rich, very arable land, and it's an area that's easily passed through between Eurasia and Europe. The Mongol hordes came through there when they were attacking Europe. Stalin's armies controled that area. Hitler came to that area not only in terms of assuring the final solution, but because of its rich resources. You could bring an army in and at the same time, feed that army. It was the breadbasket of Europe.
So, this is a country that experienced tremendous loss, constant occupation and warfare. And in its independence is finally saying enough.Roman Kokodyniak
Originally, it was colonized by the Vikings who came through in the seventh and eighth, ninth century. And the princes of Kyiv and [sic] were from Scandinavia. You look at the Swedish flag and the Ukrainian flag, you'll get a sense of where those colors came from. Blue sky and yellow soil.
During the period in the 15th-16th century, when nation states started forming throughout Europe, Ukraine had a popular uprising of Cossack, Ukrainian Cossacks who, by the way, were democratically elected leaders.
So, there's a strong strain of democratic elements within the Ukrainian nation, comparable in some way to the relationship between, let's say, Spain and Portugal. It is a distinct nation with its own language, its own cultural history.
One of the things to remember is that Ukraine, very similar to Vermont, is a rural population, its small villages. And in some way that has been a saving grace to its being able to hold on to its culture.
The period during World War II, Ukraine was one of the countries in Europe that had the largest number of people who died either of warfare or as a result of the Holocaust. Prior to that, in 1931-32 during Stalin's forced collectivization, 4 to 7 million people died of a forced famine, which is in Ukrainian, known as the Holodomor.
So, this is a country that experienced tremendous loss, constant occupation and warfare. And in its independence is finally saying enough.
You know, Roman, I imagine you speaking with us from Cabot, Vermont, and it must be frustrating and scary, difficult for you knowing that you've got so many people that you care about over in Ukraine.
I'm wondering, for Vermonters who are listening to this, is there anything they can do to help? There are refugees fleeing the country. Anything that you can recommend people do if they really want to reach out and help?
Many Ukrainians have come through Vermont, on a variety of different study tours. And so, there are a lot of people in Vermont and in Ukraine who have a familiarity with the state.
My one recommendation that I have is communication. We all have this little device in our hands now. It's obviously played an important part in our justice process here in the U.S. Consider sending a message of support to the president of Ukraine, to a variety of nongovernmental organizations, to individuals through various social media and provide financial support.
More from PBS NewsHour: How to help people in Ukraine and refugees fleeing the conflict with Russia
Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message
