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Metro Atlanta man describes his family's plight in Ukraine
Alexander Kyrychenko said it's been bizarre to watch the scenes from Ukraine from afar, where his family seeks refuge. He's raising money to support his family and other refugees.
ATLANTA - Alexander and Liliya Kyrychenko said they've watched in horror as Russian shells the country in which they grew up, Ukraine.
"It's bizarre, like a bad dream, a nightmare," Alexander told FOX 5 Atlanta's Christopher King.
Alexander, who works in IT, and Liliya, a nurse, live in metro Atlanta.
"We didn't believe it's going to happen," he said. "The Ukrainians I know, they didn't believe in it. The Russians I know, they didn't believe in it."
This photograph taken in the eastern Ukraine city of Kharkiv, on April 2, 2022, shows a detroyed street as Ukraine said today Russian forces were making a "rapid retreat" from northern areas around the capital Kyiv and the city of Chernigiv. (Photo b …
Their hometown, Kharkiv, has been shelled by Russian troops. Holding back tears, Alexander's thoughts are with his family.
"When it affects the city you grew up in, when you see the streets being destroyed, when you know it’s your relatives, it’s very different," he said.
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Metro Atlanta woman concerned about loved ones still Ukraine
A metro Atlanta woman spoke with FOX 5 and said she is concerned about her family members who remain in Ukraine.
"It's shocking," Liliya said.
Liliya's sister, brother-in-law, their daughter and her 73-year-old mom were in Kharkiv when the bombing started. They're taking refuge with other loved ones outside Kharkiv. They're OK for now.
"You cannot even anticipate, because — bam — it happens," she said.
UKRAINIANS FINDING DESTRUCTION, BURTALIZED BODIES AMID RUSSIAN RETREAT
Alexander said his cousin and aunt were in Kharkiv enduring nightly bombings before they decided they couldn't stay any longer.
"They had to sleep in the hallway, next to the front door where there were no windows because of the siren going on throughout the night, because of the shelling going on throughout the night," he said. "Windows shaking, walls shaking."
They're living in a small house with nine crammed in while they wait for warfare to reside.
"They really want to back to Kharkiv, to go home," Alexander said.
Alexander and Liliya established a GoFundMe to help their relatives in Europe. By Sunday afternoon, the campaign accumulated $24,083 with a goal of $50,000.
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