LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Russian woman living in Louisville joined with numerous others from her home country to speak out against the invasion of Ukraine.
"Even in a bad dream, I couldn't imagine that my country – after what it went through especially in the second world war – would invade Ukraine,” Olga said.
Olga said she didn't want to share her last name because she's worried about the safety of her family in Russia.
"If I go back to Russia, I don't expect a happy ending,” Olga said. "I don't think they'll arrest me in the airport, but I'll continue what I'm doing here – spreading my word and my opinion – and people will tell the police about me."
Olga moved from Russia to Louisville in 2014 with her now wife and daughter. She said she’s been to Ukraine several times, has many friends there and supports the country's independence from Russia.
"To Ukrainians, I'm sorry for what happened,” Olga said. “I didn't want this."
Since coming to America, Olga said she's gained a lot of freedoms, including the right to marry her now wife.
"Both in my country and her country, same-sex marriages are not allowed,” Olga said.
But Olga grew up in Russia and having spent a large part of her life there, she said there are definitely things she misses.
“I miss the culture,” Olga said. “We have amazing museums, we have amazing exhibitions. We used to. I don’t know what will happen next.”
Olga's last trip to Russia was in 2015. Her daughter usually travels there once a year. She still has countless friends and family in Russia and said they are feeling the pain from the sanctions imposed against their country.
Olga said the family she’s talked to told her grocery prices are soaring and it’s becoming difficult to get life-saving medication like insulin.
"I feel that Russian people are hostages in their own country right now,” Olga said. “Those people who disagree with the government."
Olga said she doesn’t know what could be done to diplomatically end this crisis.
"I don't know how that could happen,” Olga said. “I'm against violence myself."
But Olga said she is hopeful some sort of deal can be reached soon to put an end to this war.
"It's a tragedy,” Olga said. “I think it's a universal tragedy and we'll pay for that for decades."
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