Everyone has their own unique and unforgettable story of the start of the war, as Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine changed lives, presenting new challenges and trials. The stories of people who adapted to new realities and sought ways to fight and survive are part of the great collective experience, grounded in courage and determination.
Maryna Hrytsenko, Senior Fellow at the Sahaidachnyi Security Center, shared her story of the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in an interview with KTBS 3 News.
In the early days of the aggression, Maryna was in London, where she was studying, while her family, living near the Russian border, came under shelling. Maryna’s father went to the front to defend the country: “My family family woke up to being bombed in the middle of the night. My dad went to fight from the very beginning,” she recalls.
Her mother and sister were able to leave for Portugal after the start of the full-scale war, thanks to the support of the Benton community, where Maryna had previously studied as part of a student exchange program.
Despite the challenges, Maryna and her family returned to Ukraine to defend their homeland. Today, she works in the Ukrainian government and serves as a Senior Fellow at the Sahaidachnyi Security Center, where she focuses on strengthening Ukrainian-American relations and defense policy. Maryna Hrytsenko is convinced that “I hope that we will have a strong Ukraine soon.”
We invite you to watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dTmsRL6suU
