Russian Invasion: Coast To Coast Protests Breakout Around The US
Protesters around the US take to their closest capitols to protest Putin's attack on Ukraine. A huge crowd has gathered outside of the White House demanding an end. I guess it's lucky for Biden that he coincidently just reinstalled the fencing around White House grounds, huh?
Reuters (NY):
Despite freezing temperatures, hundreds of protesters in Manhattan marched to the Russian mission to the United Nations, some cloaked in Ukrainian flags and chanting "stop the war" and "stop Russia now." New York City has the largest Ukrainian community in the United States.
"I was born in Ukraine ... but today I think everybody is Ukrainian," said Ivana Lotoshynski, a U.S. citizen protesting in Times Square. "It doesn't matter where you were born, where you live. People are losing their lives right now. Ukrainians are fighting against this regime from Russia and ... it’s really devastating.”
Marcin Branowski, a Polish student living in New York, said he felt compelled to show his support for Ukraine.
“My whole family is in Poland and I'm pretty terrified as to what’s going to happen if the situation continues,” Branowski said.
Anstasiia Yashchenko, a resident of Kyiv, told Reuters her family and friends were foremost on her mind while she attended the protest with her boyfriend, who had flown her to New York City 10 days earlier.
"I packed everything in like two suitcases and I just ran out of the apartment and just left,” said Yashchenko, 23. She said she had hoped tensions would lessen, and could not believe her eyes when watching the invasion unfold early Thursday.
The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine is urging Americans not to travel there and to "depart immediately" if they're already in the country, amid Russia's military invasion.
Americans are being encouraged to use commercial or private ground transportation to leave the country since Ukraine's government has closed airspace to commercial flights.
If you know anyone in Ukraine; U.S. citizens and permanent residents in Ukraine are encouraged to complete this form so the State Department can communicate with them directly and call 606-260-4379 (overseas) or email [email protected] for assistance.