Ukrainian Minnesotan shares hopes, fears 10 months after invasion of Ukraine
An aerial view of Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles with the Russian troops, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Dec. 9.
LIBKOS | AP
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Audio transcript
INTERVIEWER: As 2022 comes to a close, we're looking back on some of the biggest stories we covered this year. One, of course, is Russia's invasion of Ukraine. That happened back on February 24. It was a Thursday.
That day, we spoke with Liliya Kacharova, a Ukrainian American chemistry professor in Duluth. She told us about her family who were living in Ukraine and about her fears for the future of her country. Now, about 11 months later, the war still rages on in Ukraine. We wanted to catch up with Lilia to see how she's doing. Professor, welcome back to the program.
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Hi Thank you.
INTERVIEWER: I appreciate your time here. When you and I last talked, the Russian invasion into Ukraine was still very fresh. You were really stressed. How are you doing right now?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Well, I'm still very upset that the war is not over. But I'm getting used for that, and like most of Ukrainian people too.
INTERVIEWER: So when we spoke, you told me your relatives in Ukraine didn't have plans to leave. So are they all still in Ukraine? Did some manage to leave? What happened?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Most of my relatives are still in Ukraine. Some left, but now they are back in Ukraine. And some are in Poland.
INTERVIEWER: And what are they telling you? You've been in contact with them. How is life right now over there?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Well, life is pretty normal that place my relatives live. But yeah, it's still very upsetting because they are sad war is not over. They expected it will be done sooner.
And today, I just talked to my 86-year-old aunt. She had a birthday a couple of days ago. And she says, we have everything. And they don't have power right now. But they have food. Her house is warm. They have clothing. And they don't want anything. They just want peace.
INTERVIEWER: What has your family have been saying about damage from the war, shelling? What does the landscape look like?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Fortunately, they don't have damage in that area where my family lives. But big cities are bombing more. And right now, they don't have electricity in their house for a couple of days, so just a few hours per day. And it was fixed last week. So last week, they had three days of electricity, but not now.
Yeah, they were upset with the damage. And unfortunately, Russians will not stop. So they will bomb them every week. And they know what day to expect another bombing, so they are prepared. But still, it's hard.
INTERVIEWER: So but it sounds like things are, as you say, sort of normal. Are they able to get enough food? Are grocery-- are the stores open? That kind of thing.
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Yeah, I asked them about that. Yeah, they have food. They have everything at grocery store. Life looks pretty normal at that place.
INTERVIEWER: So have you spoken to your kids about what's happening in Ukraine?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Well, we don't talk about that too much, though they just want to know that our family is safe. And yeah, I'm not talking about war because that's just stressful for them, especially for my daughter. She's 12 years old. She's very sensitive.
INTERVIEWER: I was trying to remember how old your kids were. They are pretty young. How has your life been the last 11 months?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Well, it was very hard at the beginning because it was hard to accept. I could never believe that Russia would start a war with Ukrainians. And I know a lot of Russian people here, they don't support war, fortunately. But there are a lot of Russian people in Russia who really support, and they want to destroy Ukraine and kill all Ukrainians and the rest of the world.
But now I'm watching news every day. So I have my phone in my bed. And every morning, I just check how things are going and how is my family. Yeah, but I felt far away today.
INTERVIEWER: That is so stressful, every single morning, to check and to keep tabs on what's happening. Do you think-- because this is, I guess, kind of a political question here. Do you think the US has put enough pressure on Russia to stop the invasion?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Well, it doesn't work. They put some pressure, but they need to put more pressure. And Ukraine need more ammunition. That's only thing that can stop Russian. So--
INTERVIEWER: How long do you--
LILIYA KACHAROVA: You can't talk to Russians, because it doesn't work. So just, you have to scare them.
INTERVIEWER: What do your relatives say? How long do they think this can go on?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Well, they hope it will be done soon, and maybe spring. But we don't know.
INTERVIEWER: So we are starting a new year soon here. What are you hopeful for as we get into 2023?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Yeah, I'm hopeful Ukraine will win before new year. That's what my dream is.
INTERVIEWER: We'll see what happens, obviously. We wish you and your family all the best. Liliya, thank you so much.
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Thank you.
INTERVIEWER: We've been talking to Liliya Kacharova. She is a chemistry professor in Duluth at UMD, and she is a Ukrainian American.
That day, we spoke with Liliya Kacharova, a Ukrainian American chemistry professor in Duluth. She told us about her family who were living in Ukraine and about her fears for the future of her country. Now, about 11 months later, the war still rages on in Ukraine. We wanted to catch up with Lilia to see how she's doing. Professor, welcome back to the program.
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Hi Thank you.
INTERVIEWER: I appreciate your time here. When you and I last talked, the Russian invasion into Ukraine was still very fresh. You were really stressed. How are you doing right now?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Well, I'm still very upset that the war is not over. But I'm getting used for that, and like most of Ukrainian people too.
INTERVIEWER: So when we spoke, you told me your relatives in Ukraine didn't have plans to leave. So are they all still in Ukraine? Did some manage to leave? What happened?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Most of my relatives are still in Ukraine. Some left, but now they are back in Ukraine. And some are in Poland.
INTERVIEWER: And what are they telling you? You've been in contact with them. How is life right now over there?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Well, life is pretty normal that place my relatives live. But yeah, it's still very upsetting because they are sad war is not over. They expected it will be done sooner.
And today, I just talked to my 86-year-old aunt. She had a birthday a couple of days ago. And she says, we have everything. And they don't have power right now. But they have food. Her house is warm. They have clothing. And they don't want anything. They just want peace.
INTERVIEWER: What has your family have been saying about damage from the war, shelling? What does the landscape look like?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Fortunately, they don't have damage in that area where my family lives. But big cities are bombing more. And right now, they don't have electricity in their house for a couple of days, so just a few hours per day. And it was fixed last week. So last week, they had three days of electricity, but not now.
Yeah, they were upset with the damage. And unfortunately, Russians will not stop. So they will bomb them every week. And they know what day to expect another bombing, so they are prepared. But still, it's hard.
INTERVIEWER: So but it sounds like things are, as you say, sort of normal. Are they able to get enough food? Are grocery-- are the stores open? That kind of thing.
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Yeah, I asked them about that. Yeah, they have food. They have everything at grocery store. Life looks pretty normal at that place.
INTERVIEWER: So have you spoken to your kids about what's happening in Ukraine?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Well, we don't talk about that too much, though they just want to know that our family is safe. And yeah, I'm not talking about war because that's just stressful for them, especially for my daughter. She's 12 years old. She's very sensitive.
INTERVIEWER: I was trying to remember how old your kids were. They are pretty young. How has your life been the last 11 months?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Well, it was very hard at the beginning because it was hard to accept. I could never believe that Russia would start a war with Ukrainians. And I know a lot of Russian people here, they don't support war, fortunately. But there are a lot of Russian people in Russia who really support, and they want to destroy Ukraine and kill all Ukrainians and the rest of the world.
But now I'm watching news every day. So I have my phone in my bed. And every morning, I just check how things are going and how is my family. Yeah, but I felt far away today.
INTERVIEWER: That is so stressful, every single morning, to check and to keep tabs on what's happening. Do you think-- because this is, I guess, kind of a political question here. Do you think the US has put enough pressure on Russia to stop the invasion?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Well, it doesn't work. They put some pressure, but they need to put more pressure. And Ukraine need more ammunition. That's only thing that can stop Russian. So--
INTERVIEWER: How long do you--
LILIYA KACHAROVA: You can't talk to Russians, because it doesn't work. So just, you have to scare them.
INTERVIEWER: What do your relatives say? How long do they think this can go on?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Well, they hope it will be done soon, and maybe spring. But we don't know.
INTERVIEWER: So we are starting a new year soon here. What are you hopeful for as we get into 2023?
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Yeah, I'm hopeful Ukraine will win before new year. That's what my dream is.
INTERVIEWER: We'll see what happens, obviously. We wish you and your family all the best. Liliya, thank you so much.
LILIYA KACHAROVA: Thank you.
INTERVIEWER: We've been talking to Liliya Kacharova. She is a chemistry professor in Duluth at UMD, and she is a Ukrainian American.
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