Detroit Area Ukrainians Show Support As Russia Invades Homeland

WARREN, MI — Many Ukrainians in the metro Detroit area gathered for a prayer Thursday night at the St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church in Warren.

Several people prayed for peace at the rally, while others asked for medical supplies to be sent to the Ukrainian Army and for donations to relief organizations doing work in Ukraine. Click here to donate to the Ukrainian-American Crisis Response Committee of Michigan.

"People are hurting," Anya Nona, a 30-year-old Warren resident, told MLive. "This is not something that hasn’t happened before to Ukraine, but this is a different feeling. Putin doesn’t think Ukraine has a right to exist."

Congressman Andy Levin told WXYZ that Southeast Michigan was prepared to welcome any Ukrainian refugees who will end up leaving the country.

President Biden announced another set of sanctions against Russia in retaliation to its invasion of Ukraine that began Wednesday morning. Russian forces crossed into Ukraine in the three separate Army groups and began bombing the country, firing at least 160 missiles into the country. As of Friday morning, Russian soldiers were closing in on Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital.