WASHINGTON, D.C. – Additional aid for Ukraine and other foreign interests is still tied up in congress. As our lawmakers weigh in on sending more money to help Ukraine fight Russia, some of Ukraine’s front line service members are visiting our nation’s capital and pushing for additional aid. We caught up with them on Capitol Hill and they shared their message to Americans.
“Something like a normal day for me may be very shocking for people here,” said Mariia Nazarova, Ukrainian combat medic.
Nazarova and Yuliia Paievska are both combat medics for Ukraine’s military. They’re part of a small group visiting Washington that includes active duty and veterans. Their group, which is called ‘Message from the Frontline’ aims to shed light on Russia’s aggression against the Ukrainians by sharing their personal experiences in the war.
“When Mariupol was surrounded, I was in Mariupol,” recalled Paievska. “All this time helping the hospital. My job was triage. It was awful. The city was destroyed. A lot of civilians died, kids, women, older. You can’t imagine, just can’t.”
Paievska shares she was captured and held prisoner by Russian soldiers in Mariupol for nearly three months.
“It was really awful,” said Paievska. “They tortured me, beat me. People have no idea what war is.”
“I know Americans have fought very bravely [in other conflicts] it’s [war] just very different now,” said Nazarova.
The group is meeting with people in DC and advocating for continued support for Ukraine, including the billions of dollars in aid that is stalled in congress. They said Ukraine is fighting for survival and needs all the help they can get.
“The best medicine is artillery,” said Nazarova. “The best medicine is aviation. The best medicine is the opportunity to evacuate your wounded. We are in the same fight be we are not asking for you to fight but us. We are asking for the tools to do the job so the rest we do ourselves.”
