Ukrainians and Russians on the War in Ukraine
Excerpts from editorial stories commissioned by KCET PBS Southern California, High Country News, and Smithsonian Magazine. Each story is a series of environmental portraits and interviews with Ukrainian and Russian immigrants at home in the Los Angeles area reflecting on the war in Ukraine. California is home to roughly 112,000 people of Ukrainian descent, and about 26,000 live in L.A. County. Photography and interviews took place in March to April 2022 within the first eight weeks of the war. I was responsible for photography, interviews, and translation.
“The trauma of past migration and forced migration is coming back for a lot of people, for a lot of Ukrainians and even Russians who are living here now.”
Alex Fridman in Long Beach, California
Born in Dnipro, Ukraine
In the US since 1994
“I was worried about eastern Ukraine, because at least half of the people there had a pro-Russian attitude. I was worried that they would accept the Russian troops. But they didn’t, because it’s their land.”
Dmytro Gorbanov in Los Angeles, California
Born in Izium, Ukraine
In the US since 2015
“I was born in April 1945, at the end of WWII. When I came to Los Angeles in 1994 I was almost fifty years old. I spent the best years of my life in Kyiv with my friends, kids, mom, dad; I loved Kyiv very much. When I saw how the Russian troops are attacking Kyiv now, my soul broke into pieces.”
Vladimir Shindich in Hollywood, California
Born in Kyiv, Ukraine
In the US since 1994
“I think the time has come for collective guilt for the Russian people. I am a Russian. Even though I'm half Ukrainian, I think I'm guilty as well, because I probably did not spend enough time talking to my friends and family back in Russia; I didn't voice my opinion in stronger terms. Now, the country is committing war crimes.”
Pavel Bondarchuk in Irvine, California
Born in Vorkuta, Komi Republic, Russia
In the US since 1999
“I feel overwhelming sympathy and empathy for people having to flee [Ukraine]. Because all of the scenes from the war in Ukraine are very similar to the scenes that I grew up in, such as the architecture and the way that people are dressed, it feels really close to me.”
Lyudmila Zotova in Los Angeles, California
Born in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia (Far East)
In the US since 1996
“My entire family is in Ukraine except for my wife and child who are with me. The women and children in my family all went to Poland when Russia invaded. And of course, my father, my uncle, my grandfather are still in Ukraine and doing everything they can to help. It isn’t possible to describe with words the feelings, the emotions that you feel when your family is in the war zone and is in danger every day. I certainly wouldn't wish that experience on anybody.”
Roman Korol in La Cañada Flintridge, California
Born in Lutsk, Ukraine
In the US since 2018
“This war has been the biggest blow of my life, after my father being arrested and repressed without cause. This war has been a personal tragedy that will be impossible to heal from.”
Mark Khoroshev in Arcadia, California
Born in Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine
Lived most of his life in Siberia and Moscow, Russia
In the US since 2001
“I believe our country will change significantly. And I feel like this could be the moment, if everything is resolved peacefully, a lot of people and immigrants may be willing to go back and bring the economy of the country back, and contribute to the country, be proud citizens. That pride wasn’t there before. I speak Russian, I don’t speak Ukrainian. I was always sort of distant from the Ukrainian culture. Now I feel my identity changed because I’m not close to Russia anymore. Now it’s, Okay, I’m Ukrainian.”
Andrew Berezin in Playa Vista, California
Born in Mariupol, Ukraine
In the US since 2014
“I’m coming to terms with my birth land and the pain that it's inflicting not just on Ukraine, but on the rest of the world. I can choose to ignore it and avoid it or I can choose to face it and acknowledge it. And to choose the right side of history.”
Kira Portnaya in Hollywood, California
Born in Samara, Russia
In the US since 1996