FSW professor concerned about his family in Ukraine

Most of the world is condemning Russia’s attacks on Ukraine. The United Nations is demanding Russia withdraw its troops immediately.

More bombing in Ukraine means more anxiety and more worry for Dr. Serhiy Pasishnyk, an FSW professor who has family in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. “I feel… distracted because you know every 15 minutes you check if nothing really really bad happened there,” said Pasishnyk.

The professor left his home country of Ukraine about 25 years ago to further his chemistry research. His brother stayed in the country and is now in western Ukraine, away from the Russian invasion.

“He just goes to work on a daily basis, and then in their free time, they work to help our military and special places,” said Pasishnyk.

It’s a much different story for Pasishnyk’s cousin. She is in the central part of the country, near the line of fire. “I said, ‘how is the spirit?’ And she said, ‘you know what, everybody is ready to fight with their bare hands,'” said Pasishnyk.

With their bare hands and weapons from the United States and other allies, Ukraine has already defied the odds, but the Russians are not about to turn around. Satellite imagery caught a 40-mile-long convoy moving toward the country’s capital Kyiv.

“Yes, I would like to see more help. But I cannot even imagine what kind of help. Ukraine is pumped with money now from everybody. Ukraine is pumped with weapons, cannot be pumped with people,” said Pasishnyk.

For Ukrainian people thousands of miles away, it’s hard to watch. Pasishnyk believes this war is far from over. When asked how that made him feel, “Sad. Helpless. Full of hate. With a little bit of hope,” said Pasishnyk.