Former Carson, Dayton exchange students discuss life on the ground in war-torn Ukraine
Submitted by Kelsey Penrose on Tue, 03/22/2022 - 12:25pm
Over the years, many students from around the world have studied locally as a part of the World Heritage Student Exchange, including several students from the Ukraine.
This is the first installment of a series highlighting the experiences of those students reporting their circumstances on the ground in Ukraine, or in one of the surrounding countries after being forced to flee.
Area Representative Liza Mcilwee has placed and oversaw the students while they were within the Carson City area and Dayton communities, and has kept ties with each of them over the years.
“They became like family to me and many others here,” said Mcilwee.
Mcilwee has spent the past weeks trying to stay in contact with her former students, some of whom are still stuck within Ukrainian borders as the invasion from Russia continues.
Ruslana Bilokon attended Dayton High School in 2018-19 and hails from Chernivtsi, Ukraine, which is in the southwestern part of the country.
“Her city is currently safe from the attacks, and everyone there is pulling together to help the army and refugees,” said Mcilwee.
Mcilwee was able to have a conversation with Bilokon earlier this month.
“We are just super tired and stressed because we work as volunteers 24/7, looking for places to stay for people from cities that have been bombarded, making masking nets for our army, looking, buying and sending things that our soldiers need to them,” said Bilokon. “We’ve been on go for the last 7 days helping people because my city is the safest one for now.”
Mcilwee asked if the reports were true that civilians in Kharkiv were being shot for being out of hiding while they tried to source food and supplies.
“Yes, that’s true,” said Bilokon. “That’s why our family friends from Kharkiv finally decided to come here. They thought that they wouldn’t leave their home, but after their neighbor went to the store to buy some bread and got killed, they decided to run away. My group mate from university lives in Izium, a city close to Kharkiv. When I asked her how she was doing, she just started crying. Their houses are not even buildings anymore.”
But Bilokon said that the people are rallying together.
“People are so united right now, every one helps each other,” said Bilokon. “And everyone is ready to give everything they have away.”
When Mcilwee asked if there was anything those back in Nevada could do, Bilokon asked for nothing personal.
“The most important thing that needs to be done is closing our sky and make a no-fly zone over Ukraine,” said Bilokon. “All you can do is spread this information, ask people to go on protests and attract attention to this topic because for now, NATO won’t do it, but we desperately need it.”
Bilokon also asked for humanitarian aid because the army needs medicine, especially anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, ibuprofen. She also stated the soldiers could use heating packs, long underwear, balaclavas, A.L.I.C.E. (all purpose lightweight individual carrying equipment), and any other items that could keep people warm as they weather is currently cold and wet.
“I know that I already ask a lot, but there are still people in Kyiv and Kharkiv that basically live in basements and bomb shelters,” said Bilokon. “There are small kids. They need (baby formula). That’s what our women and small children need."
Bilokon is hopeful for the future.
“You know, I could never imagine that Ukranian people would act like they do right now,” said Bilokon. “They don’t even care that they can run out of money, they give all they have. If you only saw how united our people are. But you know, after seeing this, I realize that we won’t lose this war, because we will be fighting to death. Even women and kids.”
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This is the first of several stories being highlighted by previous local Ukrainian students.
All of the students told Mcilwee the best way to help would be to donate to the special fund set up to support the Ukrainian armed forces, which you can find by clicking this link.
“Not a single one of these young people are asking for help for themselves or their families, because there are so many Ukrainians in much more need than they are, and they want to see those families helped,” said Mcilwee. “They believe the best way to help them personally is to help their army to win the war.”
