Clippard Elementary educator on 1-year Ukraine anniversary

Friday, Feb. 24, marked the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Tetiana Dronova and Viktoriia Kisil, who came to the U.S. in 2021 to attend Southeast Missouri State University, have not returned home to Ukraine since the start of hostilities.

"It's not safe to go," Kisil said in an interview Thursday with the Southeast Missourian.

"It's quite complicated because planes do not fly to Ukraine," added Dronova.

Kisil explained that to reach Ukraine, sometimes referred to as the "breadbasket of Europe" due to its exports of wheat, barely, corn and sunflower oil, one must fly to a neighboring nation -- such as Poland -- and then take trains or buses to enter the country and travel through it.

Tetiana Dronova

Tetiana Dronova

President Joe Biden, in his visit to Ukraine on Monday, Feb. 20, followed a similar itinerary.

"It's quite time-consuming," said Kisil, whose father serves in the Ukrainian army.

Kisil, who earned a master's degree from SEMO since the war broke out in her homeland, is an educator at Clippard Elementary in Cape Girardeau. She also teaches at Cape Central Junior High.

Dronova is a teaching assistant and graduate student at SEMO.

Each is trained in teaching English as a second language, known by the acronym TESOL.

Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi react as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presents lawmakers with a Ukrainian flag autographed by front-line troops in Bakhmut, in Ukraine's contested Donetsk province, as he addresses a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington on Dec. 21.Jacquelyn Martin ~ Associated Press

Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi react as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presents lawmakers with a Ukrainian flag autographed by front-line troops in Bakhmut, in Ukraine's contested Donetsk province, as he addresses a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington on Dec. 21.Jacquelyn Martin ~ Associated Press

Both women appreciate America's support.

"It's nice to see world leaders standing with us," opined Kisil. "We feel the support, and our families feel it, too."

Biden announced Thursday new sanctions against Russia -- including penalties imposed on 200 Russian individuals and entities plus third-country actors who directly or implicitly support Russian aggression in the region.

In his unannounced visit to Ukraine's capital of Kyiv, Biden pledged an additional $460 million in security assistance to Ukrainian military forces, but has so far declined President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request for F-16 fighter jets.

"At first, when the war started, we were hoping it would end soon. We're definitely shocked it's still going on after a year. We remain hopeful and continue to pray for a resolution," Dronova said.

"We're still seeing Ukrainian flags around Cape Girardeau. In fact, there is one flying close to where I live, and I see it every morning when I make the drive to work," added Kisil. "I've also seen yard signs reading 'We stand with Ukraine,' or 'We pray for Ukraine', and we're grateful for these visible signs of support. I was posting on my Facebook about money donations to the church in my hometown and a few people here contacted me to find out how they could give."

Families

"I communicate with my parents every day even though it can be challenging due to the problem Ukraine has today with electricity in general," said Dronova, adding, "For now, they are all right, but there is no such term as 'safe' in Ukraine."

"I'm the only child in my family. My mom and other relatives are in the central part of Ukraine, and so far they're all right. I agree with Tetiana. It's not safe in Ukraine at all. Things can change in a second," noted Kisil. "It's not a common thing in the 21st century to have real war -- with weapons, rockets and explosions. We still can't believe this has all happened in our home country since we came to America."

Kisil and Dronova both hail from Vinnytsya region in central Ukraine, about halfway between the national capital of Kyiv and the port city of Odesa. Both were roommates at SEMO after their arrival on the Cape Girardeau campus.

"We see our families virtually online, but it's not the same. You want to sit and talk and hug each other, but it's just not possible now," Kisil said.