Ukrainian native heads back to Arizona after bringing much-needed supplies to his war-torn country
Ukrainian native heads back to Arizona after bringing much-needed supplies to his war-torn country
A college professor from Ukraine but living in Arizona left weeks ago to bring humanitarian aid to his home country during its war with Russia. Now, he's back in the U.S. and is sharing his firsthand account.
PHOENIX - A college professor from Ukraine but living in Arizona left weeks ago to bring humanitarian aid to his home country during its war with Russia. Now, he's back in the U.S.
Dmitri Logvinenko shares his firsthand account after he had been prepping to head over to Ukraine and help in any way he could. He collected enough medical supplies, bulletproof vests, anything he could fit into 12 duffel bags.
"There were a lot of places where the city is being destroyed all the way to the ground. Like, some areas, 90% destroyed and not recoverable," Logvinenko said.
Back in his hometown of Kharkiv, Logvinenko says it looks severely different from the last time he was there. He started at the Poland border and worked his way through a few of the war-torn country's largest cities.
"Most of the medical supplies went to the hospitals somewhere in Kyiv," Logvinenko said.
RELATED: Arizona college professor sets off for Ukraine with supplies amid ongoing Russian invasion
All of the supplies he collected served a purpose. It was made possible by donations from Arizonans.
"What I've heard from the guys I met on the front line, close to the front line, is that they appreciate the help that the west is providing, but that help is not enough," Logvinenko said.
Americans have been on the front lines, but not in an official capacity. Three Americans who went over on their own to help fight the Russian invasion are now listed as missing in action.
All of the men are U.S. military veterans and were reported missing from the Kharkiv or Kyiv areas after their friends and family back home stopped receiving any communication in a war that seems far from over.
"For each shot that the Ukrainian army is taking at Russians, artillery shots, they are getting about 10 or 15 shots back or maybe even more from Russians," Logvinenko explained.
The message Ukrainians are sending is the very same one they've been saying since the beginning of this war – they need more help from the west.