LAS VEGAS (KLAS)— Vladimir Goutsaliouk has lived in Las Vegas for more than 20 years. He keeps in touch with his parents, sister, and niece in Ukraine.
They’re in high spirits, and embody the Ukrainian spirit he said, of willing to suffer to be an independent country.
“We all hope that the war ends soon with Ukraine’s victory because this is the only way,” Goutsaliouk told 8 News Now.
More than 300 days since that conflict began, Goutsaliouk said living in Ukraine is getting tougher, but his family has no intentions of leaving.
He called President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s trip to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday symbolic.
“What Russia has been doing is attacking the civilian infrastructure,” Goutsaliouk said. “There are lots of people in Ukraine that are without electricity and heat for hours and days on end.”
In his job as an immigration lawyer, he deals with people from several backgrounds. Some of his work includes helping Ukrainians after they have left the war-torn country.
“I was actually surprised because I met lots of people who were able to come here during the war, and for instance, would let their children stay here, and they would go back,” he said.
Some of the folks returning to Ukraine are women taking care of their husbands who had to stay back and fight.
Goutsaliouk fears support for his country in America will wane, although he’s thankful for the outreach.
“Ukraine will come out stronger and will prove to the world that all the help it’s receiving is absolutely the right thing to do,” Goutsaliouk said.