LVIV, Ukraine – While bracing for war, Ukrainians are responding boldly to Russia’s rising aggression.
Hryhoriy Ryba, the owner of the DeMandjaro Restaurant, is frustrated that 31 years after Ukraine gained independence from Russia, it still lacks freedom of control.
“Everyone else wants to decide our future for us but I don’t want Europe, the United States, NATO or Russia to decide our freedom. We are not a country of beggars,” Ryba said.
With 170,000-190,000 Russian forces now along the border, Ryba feels that his homeland is reduced to a pawn between great powers. “Ukraine is the playground for war between Russia and the West. Putin shows the world that he can do whatever he wants with Ukraine, and he does it, and then he taunts the world to see if they’ll do anything in response,” Ryba said.
A meme from the edgy, adult animation “Family Guy” has gone viral in Ukraine in recent days, showing Russia’s president threatening the West.
Putin’s Ukraine Strategy pic.twitter.com/Uqd25hHRDc
— Mohammed Soliman (@ThisIsSoliman) February 16, 2022
Ukrainians speaking with CBN News say these are belligerent actions of a playground bully who uses coercion and threats of invasion to get what he wants.
Andre Kryatov, a resident of Kherson, said, “He’s a bully, like a hooligan, in the international arena, and I don’t like how leaders of western countries try to appease him. We need to confront him and stop negotiating with him.”
Putin wants guarantees from the West, including a pledge to never allow Ukraine to join NATO. Germany’s Chancellor has floated the idea of giving in to that demand as a way to avert war.
Ryba said, “So now they (NATO) are now talking with our enemies behind our back and not inviting us to these meeting that concern our future — that’s a problem.”
Many Russia-watchers say the NATO membership question isn’t the real issue because what Putin fears most is a country next door that’s free, democratic, and wants closer ties with the West.
Putin believes Russians and Ukrainians are one people, one language and one country. Ukrainians disagree.
Lviv resident Olga Zborivska told us, “He cannot accept a liberal and free Ukraine. He cannot imagine a Russia without Ukraine. It’s really so painful to see because of this one person, a lot of people are suffering. You need to remember, he is mentally ill.”
In survey after survey, when asked about the one thing that would make them feel positive about their country, the majority of Ukrainians said “freedom.” And today the polls show that many Ukrainians now want to not only join NATO, but also the European Union.
Lviv resident Maryana Mazur told CBN News, “I think that’s why Putin is angry because we are a free people, we are free country and maybe this is the reason why he wants to invade our country and take away our freedom, so we can be like Russia.”
With rumors of war mounting, people here repeatedly tell us this is a clear battle between freedom and tyranny.
Ukrainians are prepared to sacrifice it all to remain free.
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