For the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine, Olena Rybinska wore heels during her visit to Modesto, instead of her everyday boots. Since missile attacks can occur at any moment, she said most Ukrainians opt for boots when walking to and from work.
“This is our reality that we live in everyday,” said Rybinska, head of the communication department at the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation and Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine.
Modesto Sister Cities International hosted a delegation from Ukraine on Thursday of mostly military people and veterans, during a weeklong visit to Modesto and other stops in the region. Modesto has been a sister city of Khmelnytskyi since 1987.
The six delegates, including Rybinska, said the goal of their visit is to deepen cooperation and understanding between the United States and Ukraine, as they now enter their second year of the war.
Over 10,000 civilians have lost their lives and nearly 20,000 have been injured since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, according to the U.N. Last month, three people died in the Khmelnytskyi region after a missile attack.