‘Hard not to cry’: Qld mourns, shows solidarity with Ukraine

Torrential rain didn’t stop Queensland’s Ukraine community from uniting in Brisbane’s CBD on Friday to protest Russia’s invasion on their homeland. READ THEIR STORIES

Torrential rain didn’t stop Queensland’s Ukraine community from uniting in Brisbane’s CBD on Friday to protest Russia’s invasion on their homeland.

Ukrainians sung their anthem, cried and hugged while sharing horror stories about their loved ones who are now in hiding.

Zoya Olepir’s family have been forced underground in Kyiv and are now living in the subway tunnels while the Russian military continues to bomb residential areas.

“It’s so emotional because we cannot do anything, nothing. And they are over there hiding in the underground metro. They are sleeping there, my family. It’s hard not to cry,” Ms Olepir said.

Zoya Olepir and partner Andrii Troshyn have family in the Ukraine. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“Everyone is just trying to find any safe place. They’re scared. The Russian army was bombing only military objects but now they are bombing residential places.

Ms Olepir’s partner Andrii arrived in Australia just three days ago, and has not been able to sleep since.

“He doesn’t sleep at all. He’s non-stop watching the news because his daughter is still there. She is in the basement of the house,” Ms Olepir said.

Alina Kuzminova is from Russia but joined the protest in solidarity with the Olepir family.

She said she has been keeping in touch with her friends and family in Russia and that the “majority” of Russians stand against the invasion.

“They [Olepirs] are practically my family. It’s very hard for me to see all of this because we are brothers and our brothers hurt, and it’s been caused by none other than Putin.

“It’s very heartbreaking. I know the majority of Russian people are against this. People are protesting, they are getting beaten to death for it but they are trying to do what they can, I know that.

“It’s important to show support because we don’t agree.”

Alina Kuzminova and Sasha Olepir embrace at the Ukraine protest in Brisbane on Friday.

Distressed Ukrainian’s said they feel helpless watching the warfare unfold from afar while their loved ones scramble to safety.

Natalia Statsenko received a shocking video from her friends in Ukraine, showing Russian military tanks rolling through Ukraine on Friday morning,

She is worried for her son who lives right on the Ukraine border, where bombs are going off around his house.

“My son is in Kyiv at the moment. In the morning there were missiles flying above the house, you could actually see them above the house,” Ms Statsenko said.

Protest rally over the Russian invasion of Ukraine at Brisbane's King George Square. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

“The explosions were so loud, so intense that the doors and windows were shaking.

“Everyone is finding cover where they can.

Yuliia Chertovskykh has been calling her mother, who has been unable to escape the conflict and is hiding in an apartment in Kyiv.

“My mother and father and brother, all of my family are in an apartment. They thought they would be able to run away to the summer house but [the conflict] it’s too close to the airport. There’s nowhere to run,” Ms Chertovskykh said.

“All of the time they are hearing bombs, sirens. Mum keeps telling me I’m fine and to not worry.

“I’m worried even more now. There’s not enough space for everyone to hide. The last bomb was maybe twenty minutes away from them. It’s getting very close.

“But my uncle is a soldier, and right now he is going to protect Kyiv against Russia.”

The Ukrainian community thanked Australia for taking a stance but said more needs to be done in terms of sanctions on Russia.

“Russia, they don’t care about life, they don’t care about sanctions, they care about power,” Mykhailo Kovtun said.

“We share culture, share language, but Ukraine gained independence in 1991 and only Putin doesn’t recognise us. If you use your power to force respect, that’s not acceptable. It’s like being in a relationship and forcing your partner to stay.

“In my opinion they need to implement sanctions not just against the Russian government, but also against the Russian people. They need to ban travel, everything, just temporary bans.”

The Ukrainian Community of Queensland group is planning to hold another protest in Brisbane sometime next week.