PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A spontaneous rally of people who wanted to show their support for the citizens of Ukraine popped up at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
People from both Ukraine and Russia came to protest the war being waged by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"No one wants to hear the news that there’s an active war in your country," said Orest Chormobola, who is from Ukraine. He has lived in the Philadelphia area for 21 years and still has family there.
"It’s something that you never even thought of in your wildest dreams."
“We are an independent country and an independent nation, and we want to be able to live our lives peacefully," said Ukrainian-born Orest Chormobola. He spoke with family abroad just as Russia was invading.
"When we called, everyone was crying. They’re like, 'What do we do? What do we do?' Everyone was panicking. It’s like a panic attack, and you don’t know what to do and you don’t know where to go. You have nowhere to go.”
Student Maria Gelrud is from Russia. She said she does not support Putin’s actions.
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"All of the opposition-minded people I was following, everyone was saying there won’t be an invasion. Everyone was sure that it’s impossible. It makes absolutely no sense," Gelrud said.
"We were all wrong."
Ukrainian-born Viktor Mikulin said that to a lesser extent, he has seen Putin act before.
"I was part of the Maidan Revolution (Revolution of Dignity) in 2014 in my city. I participated, and we overthrew the proxy government of Putin," he said.
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"Everything right now is an information war, and I would say right now it’s a misinformation war.”
Mikulin added that Putin is using this moment to take more territory.
"Most probably, he is going to take the whole of eastern Ukraine, and the only way he is going to be held responsible is if Europe gradually stops using his gas and oil," he said.
"Bankrupt him."
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Viktoria Stetskevych drove from Paoli with her family, including her two young children, for this rally.
"We want a free country without war and especially without Russian aggression," Stetskevych said.
Khristina Schaffer of Elkins Park said her Ukrainian family has been living under an ongoing feeling that Russia could invade across the border.
"Especially since 2014 so we’ve already felt that, but now it’s 10 million times scarier and bigger," Schaffer said.
"It hits right in the heart."
