NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Pro-Ukraine protesters have gathered in Times Square to denounce President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine and demand the U.S. impose the most severe sanctions possible on Russia.
Dozens of protesters unfurled a large banner with the colors of the Ukrainian flag and chanted "Hands off Ukraine" and "Stop Russia now" at the noontime rally.
"My friends, all my friends, they woke up early in the morning at 5 a.m., they all woke up to explosions," said Olga Kovalenko, who organized the rally hoping to send a strong message. "Apply all sanctions that they've been talking about. I mean like it should be a very, very strong sanctions, financial sanctions."
Kovalenko said she fled Ukraine with her husband in the midst of its last diplomatic flare up in 2014.
"My family, my mom is still in Ukraine, my brother, my husband's family is there. We must stop this brutality," she said.
The protesters then marched to the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the United Nations at 67th Street and Lexington Avenue before heading to the Russian Consulate at 91st Street and Fifth Avenue.
Mayor Eric Adams in a statement said New York stands with Ukrainians.
"New York City is home to the largest Ukrainian population in America and our city stands with them, and joins them in praying for those who find themselves under attack this morning," Adams tweeted. "The unprovoked and unjustified invasion of their homeland is an assault on freedom."
Members of New York's Ukrainian community have been left shattered by the attack on their homeland.
"It's the worst thing we've all dreamed of," said Andrij Dobriansky of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.
Dobriansky said his friends in Ukraine are fearful, but determined to fight.
"If somebody were to try to bring a tank into the middle of New York I wouldn't necessarily leave either, so it's a hard decision for every family to make individually," said Dobriansky.
He said Putin wants to take over the country and wipe out Ukrainian culture, but their spirit will never die.
"They banned our language, they banned our religion, they banned our songs and culture, but Ukraine is still a culture and a people that exist and we will continue to exist," said Dobriansky, who hopes people will donate to help an expected flood of refugees.
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