Despite the chilly weather, a large crowd from Columbus’ Ukrainian community gathered at the Ohio Statehouse over the weekend to mark the third anniversary of the Ukraine-Russia war.
Waving and wearing the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine, around 175 attendees—including numerous American supporters—participated in the Ukrainian Cultural Association of Ohio’s “Stand with Ukraine” rally on Saturday.
The event aimed to not only observe the anniversary but also to remind people that the conflict remains ongoing.
“We want to remind the people of Columbus that the war in Ukraine continues. This is a very sad anniversary,” said Alex Matviienko, who moved from Ukraine to Columbus about a year and a half ago.
“Ukraine is not for sale,” he added.
Rally attendees held colorful signs with messages such as “If Ukraine falls, we all lose” and “Trump, Musk, Vance are Russian assets.” One American supporter carried a sign that read, “Ukraine is our ally, not bloody Russia.”
Maria Dubyna, who has been living in Dublin for five months, expressed her faith in U.S. support.
“We believe that the USA will protect and help us … The USA has enough power and wisdom to assist Ukraine in this terrible time,” she said.
Viktor Prozapas, who immigrated from Ukraine to Columbus as a teenager 26 years ago, shared his distress over the situation in his homeland, where he still has friends fighting in the war.
“It hurts to see where we are with politicians and presidents, to see a true dictator being called a nice guy while [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy is being called a dictator,” he said.
Prozapas also translated for his friend, Serhiy Kachan, a pastor from Ukraine who arrived in Columbus for a conference three years ago—just as the war began.
“He could never go back. His family came here to join him,” Prozapas said.
As cars drove down East Broad Street, honking in support, Prozapas addressed the crowd, thanking “every single American friend” for welcoming their new neighbors and urging everyone to continue raising awareness.
“We are not fighting just to fight. We are fighting for survival. It’s a really critical time for Ukraine. You must be very proactive during this time,” he emphasized.
“Stay active. Be engaged. Be the ones who raise your voices for those in need.”
