Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, and conditions have been unsafe for civlians in Kyiv and other areas of the country. | Wikimedia Commons/Sgt. 1st Class Walter Van Ochten
Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, and conditions have been unsafe for civlians in Kyiv and other areas of the country. | Wikimedia Commons/Sgt. 1st Class Walter Van Ochten
A Ukrainian man, who has previously visited Charlotte, gave WBTV News a firsthand view of what is happening in his country as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine.
Andrii Lukashenko is a retired major from the Ukrainian Armed Forces and has trained with WBTV security analyst Karl de la Guerra.
"You see, we are military," Lukashenko told WBTV News. "If you are military once, you are military forever, and this is a brotherhood and we understand each other and all the guys. If I say ‘Charlie Foxtrot,’ they will understand exactly what I mean."
Lukashenko currently lives on the outer edges of Kyiv with his wife and son, and he tells WBTV News that he is close enough to the fighting to hear the sounds of battle.
"I'm worried for my family and for my neighbors who (are) just simply civilian, who’ve never been in a fight and barely understand how to fight," Lukashenko told WBTV News.
He says that his family cannot escape the country, saying, “Right now, it’s impossible because all the routes are destroyed.”
The Ukrainian man is preparing his family to be ready for anything, including teaching them first aid and how to use certain weapons.
"Believe me, I (am) really worried," Lukashenko told WBTV News.
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