‘I would tell them I love them’: Louisville holds rally in support of Ukraine

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Louisville held a rally at Metro Hall to show support for the country of Ukraine and relief efforts in the city.

Louisville mayor Greg Fischer hosted the rally, emphasizing how he told President Joe Biden that Louisville welcomes Ukrainian refugees Friday.

His announcement came after President Biden saluted Poland on Friday for welcoming more than 2 million refugees who have fled Russia’s invasion.

Oleksandr NyKoshatka and his wife, Alina Montgomery, are from Kyiv.

NyKoshatka said he hasn’t seen his family in nine years. The couple said it feels like they are a world away from their heart overseas in Kyiv.

”They try to be so positive,” Montgomery said. “When we ask, ‘How are you doing?’ She says we are fine. When I know they are not.”

The rally came as about 300 people were killed in the Russian airstrike last week on a Mariupol theater.

Left without answers, NyKoshatka and his wife said seeing the support from strangers is one of the only things that keeps them going.

“With all the devastation, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” Montgomery said. “We just pray that they live. We pray that they survive, we pray that they stay healthy. We just pray.”

People of all ages stood up in support for Ukraine at the rally, including 15-year old Marianna Grabova. Grabova is the daughter of Ukrainian immigrants.

“In my history class, me and my peers we asked ‘How could the world sit by and allow Hitler to do what he did?’” Grabova said. “If we do nothing now, we have the same answer.”

Lena Pysarva and her daughter, Veronica, came out to show their support.

To Pysarva, she said it’s not just a distant conflict, it’s home.

”It’s very sad when you get a call from your best friend who says if something were to happen to me and my husband, would you take my daughter,” Pysarva said.

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