Ukrainian student studying in Pennsylvania shares his story

Lebanon, Pennsylvania (WHTM) – Max Rishchuk and Roman Kolosok may be 5,000 miles from the war zone, but what is happening in Ukraine is still close at hand.

“I’m not feeling very well emotionally and I can’t support sitting here. [my family]’ said Rishchuk, a Ukrainian student studying at the Lebanese Valley College. “No. I have never been away from my family for nearly a year.”

Kolosok, also a Ukrainian student at Lebanon Valley College, has not seen his family in a year.

“I miss them, they want to see me. They always say they want to hug me,” Kolosok told ABC 27 News. “I miss my family.”

Lyshchuk and Kolosok’s large families are spread across the country, but close relatives live in the capital of Kiev and in western Ukraine.

“There was a missile attack a week ago, which destroyed some of our city, [my family is] It’s okay, ”said Lyshchuk.

Korosok can sympathize – his family often has no power and is forced to take refuge underground to avoid Russian missiles, he said.

“In early January, when the Russians were rapidly bombing everything, my family had no electricity for about 20 hours a day,” Kolosok recalled.

Now, Mr. Roman said he and his family can talk almost every day, but he misses meeting them in person.

Neither student will be able to return to Ukraine. If so, they should be listed in the Ukrainian army and fight in the war.