JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Tons of of Ukrainians, Ukrainian People, and supporters of Ukraine gathered in Riverside to mark three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The march aimed to honor the hundreds of Ukrainians who’ve died within the battle and to remind People of the significance of standing with Ukraine.
The demonstration comes simply days after U.S. authorities officers negotiated peace talks with Russia with out together with Ukraine, sparking concern among the many Ukrainian neighborhood.
The occasion started with the Ukrainian nationwide anthem, adopted by speeches honoring the women and men who’ve misplaced their lives for the reason that invasion. Natalia Watson, the demonstration organizer, emphasised the importance of the occasion, stating, “This yr, it’s much more vital as a result of sadly, it appears to be like as if some individuals forgot who the aggressor was, that Russia invaded Ukraine.”
Viktorya Croskey, a Ukrainian American, expressed her misery over the continued battle.
“It’s devastating to see all of the territories we misplaced. We misplaced the cities and the individuals,” she mentioned, including that her household in Ukraine is dealing with the state of affairs day-to-day.
The opportunity of surrendering Ukrainian territory as a part of a negotiation to finish the warfare was a subject of concern for a lot of on the demonstration.
Bert Watson, an American supporter of Ukraine, warned, “Each maligned actor is watching and seeing how they’ll negotiate after they’ve taken different territories.”
Olga White, a Ukrainian refugee now settled in Jacksonville, voiced her issues over the present immigration freeze affecting Ukrainian refugees. “Now they don’t have any rides. They don’t know what to do. They’ll’t come again to their houses. They’ll’t keep right here as a result of all of the immigration packages have stopped for Ukrainian refugees and it’s actually unhappy,” she mentioned.
Pat Murphy, a Jacksonville resident who took in a Ukrainian household, expressed her fears concerning the immigration freeze. “We’re terrified and spitting mad. However sure, we’re nervous about what might occur to them,” she mentioned.
The demonstration concluded with a silent march down Riverside Boulevard, with members hoping to garner extra help from Jacksonville residents for Ukraine.
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