A pair of Ukrainian cooking bloggers based in the U.S. recount the "heartbreaking" ordeal that their friends and family back home are experiencing amidst the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Natasha and Vadim Kravchuk rose to fame after starting a blog called Natasha's Kitchen in 2009. Now, the couple originally from Ukraine are sharing the plight of their friends and family who are still in Ukraine, unable to escape the chaos brought about by Russia's unprovoked attack and continued assault on Ukraine. The Kravchuks shared that their family and friends back home are unable to leave the city because Russians have captured it.
"It's just heartbreaking seeing things as people's lives are being torn apart," Vadim told KTVB 7. Natasha added, "We have a lot of relatives that are throughout Ukraine. There are a lot of relatives that are in the dangerous zones," but she's glad they remain alive.
The Kravchuks admitted they feel upset about the negative updates they are receiving from friends and family back home in Ukraine, because they have a lot of pride and love for their country of origin. Natasha admitted that it was "really difficult" to witness scenes unfold on the news.
"We think the Ukrainian people are amazing people and it's a great country. This is not the kind of publicity we want it to be getting," Natasha admitted. The US-based Ukrainian blogger immigrated from Ukraine to the U.S. in 1989 with her family of seven as refugees. Her husband, Vadim and his family of seven moved from Ukraine to the U.S. in 1995 with his grandparents. The two met at a church event in Boise, Idaho many years later.
Natasha shared that when they finally got to know each other, they found out that Vadim's father and her mother grew up in the same Ukrainian village. She added that the Ukrainian community in the Treasure Valley is definitely tight-knit. But despite living in the U.S. for most of their lives, the cooking bloggers still make it a point to honor their roots.
Back home in Ukraine, however, Vadim shared that their families remain at risk because some of them are at the frontlines. He said that his cousin is still in Ukraine and has been drafted. The cousin has two kids. Vadim also shared how it rained the other day and that his family back home had to collect rainwater "to have enough to bathe themselves since they haven't bathed in about a week."
Natasha shared that seeing refugees flee Ukraine really hit close to home for her, as she was once a refugee herself, with her family surviving the Ukrainian famine-genocide in 1932 to 1933. She remarked, "We see the videos and photos of people at the border and you can't help but see your family."
For those who want to help Ukrainian refugees amid this crisis, Natasha is asking that donations be given to Samaritan's Purse, which is currently working to help those affected by Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
The Guardian reported that the European Union has established an emergency plan for Ukrainian refugees that will allow them to live and work in the EU for up to three years. The UN refugee agency said that almost 875,000 people have fled Ukraine since Russia's invasion one week ago.
