SARANAC LAKE — Monday marked a solemn anniversary, one that a group of local demonstrators vowed to never forget.
The day marked three years since tanks rolled west across the Ukraine-Russia border as part of a massive land invasion by Russian forces into Ukraine. The move was preceded by months of military build-up along the border, and was considered the largest overland military action on the continent since World War II.
The scale of human loss as a result of the conflict, especially in the past three years, has been staggering. While exact casualty numbers are hard to know, it’s one of the deadliest in Europe since World War II.
Despite its carnage, Walk to Support Ukraine organizer Melissa Kukurudza said the war has faded from the front of a lot of people’s minds here. That’s why she, along with her neighbor, Justyna Babcock, founded the Walk to Support Ukraine — to remind people that the invasion is still ongoing, and won’t be forgotten.
“Many people in the area did not realize the Russian invasion was still going on,” Kukurudza wrote in an email to the Enterprise. “We walk to make people aware.”
The Walk for Ukraine proceeds toward downtown Saranac Lake on Monday evening. The walks have been happening weekly since May of last year. Monday’s walk coincided with the three-year anniversary of the ongoing conflict’s start. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)
Kukurudza, whose grandparents were from Ukraine, said her aunt encouraged her to attend the national Ukraine Action Summit in Washington, D.C. This sparked the idea of starting a weekly walk to bring attention to the issue at the local level. She said the conference reminded her of her heritage, and how this conflict bears a stark resemblance to dark times in Europe’s history.
“This brought my attention to my roots and how history is repeating itself,” she wrote.
Kukurudza plans to attend this year’s summit in April. She said that recent developments — namely, a decision by the U.S. to vote against a non-binding United Nations resolution urging Russia to withdraw from Ukraine and blaming Russia for starting the conflict. The resolution still passed the U.N. General Assembly 93 to 18, with 65 countries abstaining — although it has marked a slip from previous similar resolutions that garnered higher support levels from the body.
Kukurudza wrote that while she wanted to see the Trump Administration succeed, she felt it was not holding Russia accountable for starting the conflict.
“Ukraine is a sovereign country, her people and land should be protected,” she wrote. “Personally, I am angry. I am sure many agree with me.”
Kukurudza has no plans to stop walking.
The Walk in Support of Ukraine group meets weekly and has missed one since it began in May. Each week, the group walks through highly visible local spots with signs, sunflowers — Ukraine’s national flower and symbol of resistance — candles and flags. On Monday evening, as the group of eight made its way down the sidewalk along River Street, some cars passing by honked in support, sometimes once every few seconds.
“I vowed I would walk every week until the Russian invasion is over,” Kukurudza wrote. “We have never missed a week.”
During the warmer months, the group has been as large as 15, with some colder, darker days reducing the turnout to just Kukurudza and Babcock.
Kukurudza said that as the walks have gone on, more people have begun to notice, join in and express support — even if it’s just honking in solidarity.
“This means a lot,” she wrote. “We have reached so many, locally (and) internationally. There is much support for Ukraine and we are very grateful.”
For more information on the weekly walks — which sometimes change location — visit the group’s Facebook page at tinyurl.com/3vcuefpu. Kukurudza invited people without Facebook who are looking to become involved to email her at melwoods.2009@gmail.com.
— — —
Staff Writer Grace McIntyre contributed to this report.