Eastern CT Ukrainians' perspective on war with Russia: We're fighting Europe's war

The U.S. still needs to support Ukraine if they don’t want the rest of continental Europe to be at risk from Russia, Ihor Rudko, Ukrainian American Veterans Post 14 Commander, said.

“We’re fighting their war,” he said.

A group of Ukrainians and Ukrainian-Americans in Connecticut, including Posts 14 and 33 of the Ukrainian American Veterans, visited U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney in Norwich Friday. The group recognized Courtney for his support, and Courtney recognized the group’s advocacy for injured Ukrainian soldiers in the current Russia-Ukraine war.

The National Defense Authorization Act was signed into law in December. The Ukrainian American Veterans advocated that the U.S. Department of Defense and the Ukrainian government create a program addressing military trauma. This includes brain injuries, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and other mental health issues, according to an announcement from Courtney’s office.

Addressing mental health needs

Rudko, who served in the U.S. Air Force as a Staff Sergeant, remembers that Vietnam veterans were poorly treated when they returned from the war and weren’t able to get help for physical and mental health needs caused by the war, he said.

Getting the program approved was a challenge. The current Congress has only passed 39 bills, Courtney said, noting that the program was almost taken out of the bill twice by lawmakers.

When Post 33 Welfare Officer Myron Melnyk asked how progress should be tracked, Post 33 Commander Carl Harvey said the process would start by using the VA and others to train the newly established Ministry of Veteran Affairs in Ukraine on PTSD.

Training could be built off of past interactions, such as Ukrainian National Home of Hartford Organizational Director Myron Kolinsky's sister, a Yale-New Haven Hospital doctor, had trained Ukrainian clergy, psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers on PTSD.

American support of Ukraine is 'vital'

American support for Ukraine is vital, as the Russian government would have “wiped Ukraine of the map” without it, Paul Bzowyckyj, Toland resident and member of Post 14, said.

Efforts for supporting Ukrainian soldiers’ PTSD treatment began during the incursion 10 years ago. These solders were going to Germany, and then the U.S. for treatment, but funding ran out, Bzowyckyj, who served as a U.S. Army Captain, said.

Courtney and his visitors want to continue support of Ukrainian defense, including a $60.8 billion national security supplemental, $40 billion of which will support the American defense industry in supplying Ukraine, according to his office.

Even more could still be done. Melnyk asked Courtney about sending some outdated U.S. military equipment, like MGM-140 Army Tactical Missiles instead of disposing of them, since it’d still be an improvement to what Ukrainians are using now.  Courtney said the U.S. needs to balance its own military readiness, while supporting allies, but the government will determine what can be given.

Supporting Ukraine against Russia

Ukrainians have struggled against Russian aggression for centuries, or as Rudko described it: “fighting evil for 300 years.” On his mother’s side, only she and his grandmother survived the Holodomor, a genocidal man-made famine in the 1930s. After WWII, two cousins on his father’s side died due to poor treatment while in the Red Army. In the current Russian Invasion, his wife lost two cousins last month, he said.

Like the Soviets in the past, the current Russian government today wants to eliminate the Ukrainian culture and language, Rudko, a Colchester resident, said.

There’s still “a lot of sympathy” for Ukraine all over the U.S. and in Congress, but Bzowyckyj is still frustrated with bureaucracy that gets in the way. Ukrainians all over are thankful for American support when other countries haven’t given as much, but Bzowyckyj said the fighting could have been over if more support was given sooner.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: CT Ukrainian veterans meet with Rep. Joe Courtney in Norwich on NDAA