My name is Ruslan and I’m a Salesforce Technical Architect in K Health’s Kyiv office. These are my thoughts about my country being at war.
First of all, I want to say “THANK YOU, WORLD!” for the massive support that Ukraine is receiving.
A few months ago I came to New York with my wife for what I thought would be a six-week business trip. She is pregnant and I wanted to take her with me to see the city and spend some time out of the home.
I didn’t think that this trip would end up with the situation that I couldn’t return to my lovely home, or my dog, who is staying with family in the countryside outside of Kyiv.
I hope every person understands we are fighting not only for Ukraine. We are fighting for the whole world’s freedom and democracy.
If Ukraine, a country with 45 million people, won’t stand, how would Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, or other much smaller countries stand? We are the shield for Europe.
Every morning when I get up, I send multiple messages to all my close people and ask them if they are alive. I do not ask, “How are you?”, instead I ask, “Where are you? Are you alive?”
Can you imagine how people must feel when multiple rockets bombard cities for a whole day? What women must feel when they have to deliver a baby in an underground shelter?
I have been going to protests often in New York. Protests deliver a message to people in Ukraine that they are not alone—people all over the whole world are with them.
It’s hard to explain how proud I am of all the people of Ukraine. I am thankful to everyone who is involved—you are my heroes.
You are heroes for the whole world.
If you’re interested in ways to support Ukraine, K Health put together a list of resources and organizations here.
My wife and me at the popular restaurant, Mayak, near the Dnipro river in Ukraine
My dog Light and me, on his birthday. He’s currently staying with relatives in the Kyiv countryside
My wife and me on our first days visiting New York City