The Ukrainian community in November commemorated the 10 million victims of the Holodomor of 1932-33.
Today, much of the world has been shocked by the brutality inflicted by the Kremlin during this year’s war in Ukraine. For those who know the atrocities committed by the Soviet regime, the reemerging specter of genocide committed by the Russian Federation is clear.
In comparison to the last century, technological advancement today makes it impossible for President Vladimir Putin’s regime to conceal the truth of the brutality Russia has inflicted in Ukraine since its invasion on Feb. 24. From the beginning of the invasion, more than 100,000 innocent men, women and children have been raped, tortured or murdered. Many others have been displaced or have gone missing.
During this time, my family has kept in close contact with our relatives from the village of Velyka Komyshuvakha, in Eastern Ukraine, where my grandmother was born.
Velyka Komyshuvakha lies 19 miles from Izuum in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. My grandmother’s family survived Bolshevik brutality throughout the Russian revolution, repression in 1930s, Stalin’s artificial famine in 1932-33 and two totalitarian regimes during World War II. Most of the village was decimated during this time.
Since our family immigrated, we have maintained contact with our remaining relatives in the village.
Shortly after the initial invasion in February, women and children were evacuated to safer regions in Western Ukraine. Our older relatives remained in the village as long as they could. They were frequently without power and sleeping in cellars.
After Izuum was occupied, bombing made life in the village impossible. The school, which had survived World War II, was destroyed. Our family’s houses, fruit trees and gardens were destroyed. Their dogs and cats were left behind and have likely perished.
Given this village did not hold anything of military strategic significance, it became clear this is another act of genocide by the long arm of Moscow.
With the help of extended family, our relatives were relocated to another village in the Poltava region. Three generations of our relatives are staying together there. Although this village is safer, they still frequently hear air raid sirens. They frequently are without power. The war has taken a significant psychological toll on all of them. Although we correspond almost daily, they typically don’t ask for help. They long for their stories to be heard and seek understanding.
In July, Ukrainian military forces launched a major military offensive during which Ukrainian forces encircled Balakliya, a Russian military stronghold not far from our village. Some 20,000 Russian troops were forced to surrender. Velyka Komyshuvakha was liberated from Russian occupation. Our family wept for joy as the Ukrainian flag was once again raised over city hall.
Since then, our family has risked land mines and bombings to preserve their homes and remaining possessions in the face of winter. My family raised money in our neighborhood and from coworkers to provide warm winter clothing for our family. We continue to pray for them and share pictures of happy occasions to keep their spirits up.
My grandmother’s painful story from the past century of life under the Soviet Union motivates our family to assist our distant relatives in any way we can. It is important to remember genocides of the past and to not allow this to occur today. The United States and Western Europe should continue to support Ukraine’s struggle for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• Nicholas Skyba II is a first generation American. He is a family practice physician who lives in Crystal Lake. He leads ODUM (American Association of Youth of Ukrainian Descent). He has relatives living in Eastern Ukraine.