PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The emotional toll of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine is reaching the Portland area.
Leaders in the region’s Ukrainian community say many have already lost touch with loved ones in the country.
“People are worried, very scared for their relatives,” said Tatiana Terdal with the Ukrainian-American Cultural Association of Oregon & SW Washington.
“Partly there have already been interruption of mobile service in areas close to the Russian-occupied territories, so people are thinking, ‘How will we communicate? How will we know what is happening and if my relatives are alive?” she said.
Tatiana says her group has collected medical supplies to send to Ukraine to help.
“There is also a lot of frustration partly because there is not much we can do,” Terdal said. “So our classmates in Ukraine, people who are in their 40s and 50s, are actually training with the Territorial Defense Forces so they can do something. They don’t just sit around and wait, they are trying to figure out how to protect themselves and their families.”
Terdal said the group needs funding to get the goods to Europe. To help, visit their donation Facebook page.