The recent invasion of Russian forces in Ukraine has the whole world holding its breath including Marshfield’s very own Viktoriya Hryshchenko. Originally from Ukraine, Hryshchenko visited Marshfield in 2014 as an exchange student and later returned to make Marshfield her home. Hryshchenko is also the co-owner of “The Never Ending Game Store,” a haven for both game enthusiasts and collectors.
What U.S. citizens see on the news does not compare to what Hryshchenko sees on her social media and news feeds. All of Hryshchenko’s family currently reside in Ukraine. Not to mention numerous friends, neighbors, and old classmates who share daily scenes of Ukraine's new reality. Hryshchenko is witnessing the destruction of her hometown, Sumy, and country first hand and it is heartbreaking.
“I wake up every morning and the first thing that I'm doing is checking the news, hoping that I will not see familiar buildings,” said Hryshchenko. “I have woken up to destroyed buildings, places where I've been and some of them from my city. I'm just hoping that if something were to happen it's not going to happen to my parents.”
Currently, her family is taking cover in a bomb shelter below their building. They have been fortunate enough to have access to basic necessities and electricity allowing Hryshchenko to communicate with them frequently.
“I will usually message her (Hryshchenko’s mother) a few times a day, just to make sure that they're safe and alive. That's basically my biggest concern,” explained Hryshchenko. “One day, the electricity went down and the water was off as well. For half of the day her phone died and she couldn't charge it. I didn't have any connection with her. That was really difficult, but I just tried to think positively.”
The future is uncertain for many Ukrainian families like the Hryshchenkos and people across the globe are actively looking for ways to help. Some are protesting at city capitals, sending care packages or donating online. Hryshchenko asks her family the same question, how can she help and their answer is simple: share information.
“The only thing that I can do right now is basically spread information. I had a lot of people reaching out to me talking about the situation in Ukraine and how people need to know about it,” said Hryshchenko. “I want those questioning to know this is actually happening. It is true. People need to not be oblivious to the information and the fact that there's a war happening.”
Fluent in both Ukrainian and Russian, Hryshchenko watches both countries' news. Comparing and contrasting the two, but ultimately seeking the truth in all the media she gets her hands on. Hryshchenko has even come across information happening in her hometown before her mother does, warning her of fires or other possible dangers.
“There was a church burning on my street. I called my mom immediately and my mom said she could see and smell the smoke, but didn’t really know where it was coming from, '' said Hryshchenko.
Ultimately, Hryshchenko is pushing for accurate information to be shared on a global scale. She hopes to encourage citizens to ask their government and organizations like NATO to take action. Growing up near the Ukrainian-Russian border, she knows the Russian mentality first hand and believes Putin will not stop after Ukraine.
“We always wanted to believe that if something were to happen the world is gonna help us,” explained Hryshchenko. “I hope that after it's all over, whenever that is, Ukraine will have enough help to restore everything that's lost. Some of the cities in my region are completely destroyed, including schools and apartments. The homes and livelihoods of many are gone.”
Over 1.5 million refugees have fled to neighboring countries in what the United Nations calls the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. The death toll has reached over 360 and at least 759 have been injured, however, the actual toll is believed to be considerably higher.
In addition to advocating for the world to intervene, Hryshchenko is donating a percentage of sales from her Marshfield business. Over the past week, her store raised $1,000 which will be distributed between three organizations aiding Ukraine citizens.
For those interested in donating, Hryshchenko recommends researching and using legitimate donation sites. To support Hryshchenko’s city, visit www.fond.sumy.ua. The organization is using donations to help purchase medical supplies, food and repairing critical infrastructure.
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