Anastasiya Zvir has lived her whole life witnessing the tumultuous times in Ukraine by Elizabeth Hamby, Co-Editor-In-Chief
Anastasiya Zvir has lived in Ukraine all 20 years of her life and has had a Although Zvir says she is in no immediate danger at this front-row seat to the making of history in her country. moment in time, she made it clear that the danger isn’t over for She is currently a junior attending Ukrainian Catholic College in Lviv many Ukrainians and they still need the world’s support. studying political science. She came to the US a couple of years ago as an Mental health is drastically declining she says as war tends to exchange student and responded to a recent interview request with LHS do and many Ukrainians including herself have become numb to Publications in 2022. the pain and suffering they have endured. She is the head of many political leadership clubs and has helped found “I don’t cry anymore. I’m afraid that I have become an organization called Save Art UA that aims to spread emotionless,” Zvir claimed. awareness for the ruined historical artifacts and sites She recalled when her roommate came home that have been destroyed by bombs dropped by Russia to the dorm crying about someone she had just in the recent war of 2022. lost to the war. Unlike Americans reading of history, Zvir is living Zvir has heard of this millions of times, but in the making of history. was at a loss of what to say when it was someone “When it all started, I was a kid, and now I’m close to her who had lost a special somebody. an adult,” Zvir had said in disbelief. “(It was) hard to realize that I became She accounts that citizens of Ukraine were resistant, because I heard so many tragic stories very unhappy with the president and felt like he about death, and loss,” Zvir said. wasn’t making the best decisions for the people of Zvir urges everybody to do what they can his country. If he were to sign the agreement, the to support Ukraine, even something as simple EU promised to provide Ukraine with support as hosting a non-perishable canned food drive in different aspects like financial and political for soldiers would be a tremendous help for standings and provide them access to certain them. knowledge and trades within the union. She says don’t stop posting on social “If you (President Victor Yanukovych) are not media or asking questions of Ukrainian people. listening to your Ukrainian people you shouldn’t be She suggested even going as far as starting an our president,” said Zvir. initiative to work hand in hand with Ukrainian photo by A. Zvir The peaceful protests in the capital of Kyiv were organizations. Zvir says they are trustworthy and mainly made up of students, but nevertheless, they they need the help. were broken up forcefully after the direct order of the president. Zvir is actively trying to create a new normal for herself and It was then in February 2022 news broke that Russia had officially is trying to balance her ever-growing schedule of volunteering started invading Ukraine, and all around the US people were watching the initiatives and schoolwork all at the same time. Although she was news about it. Now it’s May, and the Ukraine conflict with Russia is still very preparing for the day the Russians would attack early in 2022, she prevalent, and many are still losing their lives and homes that contain their never knows when the sirens may go off and she will have to run to lives. the safety of a bomb shelter. Zvir personally never felt the desire to leave her home country but she “Every time when there is a missile launched in the direction and her family felt a calling to do whatever they needed to do to help the of a certain city, citizens are notified and have approximately 5 efforts for the good of their country. minutes to go to the bomb shelter,” Zvir said. Zvir says she is Her brother, 17 at the time, had the same desire to join the military blessed in having a bomb shelter at her college where students can efforts but was turned down for drafting. continue their work with stable Internet. “Thank God they didn’t take him, they said you’re still a kid — enjoy the This conflict is still as prevalent as ever and Ukraine still needs last of childhood,” Zvir said. the support of the world in order to conquer the catastrophic harm Russia is causing.
April 4, 2022: President Zelensky labeled Russia’s actions as genocide and criticized the sparse sanctions of the West.
April 19, 2022: Russia launched another invasion from Kharkiv to Donetsk and Luhansk and continued strikes on Kyiv.
April
May 2, 2022: Roughly 100 people were evacuated by the UN from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.
May News | lhstoday.org design by: P. Bostic
17
