MU Ukrainian students cheer Ukrainian advances against Russia, $625M more in U.S. aid

With every advancement of the Ukrainian Army into previously Russian-held territory, the level of exhilaration increases for University of Missouri Ukrainian students Alina Rohulia and her boyfriend, Vlad Sazhen.

They spoke Wednesday outside Gateway Residence Hall on a pleasant fall evening.

More than 450 settlements in the Kharkiv region have been liberated in the past month.

A day after Russia claimed to have annexed regions of Ukraine, the Ukraine reclaimed Lyman, a town in the annexed area.

Ukraine also has advanced into Luhansk and Donetsk, Rohulia said.

"We're excited to get more news," Rohulia said. "We're excited to hear more from the front line."

Her father and brother are in the Ukrainian army. She said her father didn't share any specifics, but he's optimistic about how things are going.

An assessment by the Washington think tank Institute for the Study of War states the Ukrainian effort is crippling Russia's efforts to transfer ammunition and mobilized troops. Russian President Vladimir Putin's mobilization announcement has more impact domestically than it does in Ukraine, the report states.

"A lot of Russians are demoralized," Sazhen said. "There are all those fleeing the mobilization."

Putin last week announced the mobilization of soldiers, which has been unpopular in some areas.

The new soldiers have to buy their own equipment, Rohulia said.

"We don't think a lot of them will survive," she said.

The U.S. this week announced an additional $625 million in military aid to Ukraine, including four highly effective HiMARS, or high mobility artillery rocket systems; Howitzers; and lots of ammunition.

"I really appreciate the U.S. support," Rohulia said. "We appreciate the help. We are going to win."

Tanks and long-range rockets also would be helpful, Sazhen said.

Ukrainians have motivation and Russians don't, they said.

"We win only because we have the spirit for victory," Rohulia said. "Russians don't know what they're fighting for."

"We are fighting for freedom," Sazhen said. "In Russia, there's no freedom."

Russian propagandists are admitting military failures, which is a change from past reporting, they said.

Sazhen's mother in Kyiv traveled to Kharkiv last week to see her mother, Sazhen said. She also stopped by their former home to get some clothes for the winter.

He showed photos she took of a war-damaged apartment building near their former home and a video of a burned-out supermarket near where they lived.

"She was shocked," Sazhen said. "She couldn't understand how people are living in this hell. But after a few days, she didn't want to return to Kyiv."

Kharkiv is home, Sazhen said. Both Sazhen and Rohulia are from there. Rohulia's mom and brother are in Poltava.

"As Kharkiv is being de-occupied, the soldiers are finding a lot of nasty stuff," Sazhen said.

He showed photos of a line of several cars, dead bodies inside. Russians had fired on the cars filled with civilians, he said.

Those attacks killed 24, including 13 children.

Torture chambers also have been found, he said. He showed photos of a container full of gold dental fillings and implants, reminiscent of the Holocaust.

"This really is like the Second World War, with allies fighting against Nazis," Sazhen said.

Rocket attacks on apartment buildings in Zaporizhzhia late last month killed 19 and wounded 34, Sazhen said.

"It was almost like, I don't know," Sazhen said.

"A terrorist attack," Rohulia offered.

Their studies are going well, they said. Another round of exams is scheduled next week for both.

Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He's on Twitter at @rmckinney9.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: MU Ukrainian students hopeful about efforts to oust Russia