LOUISVILLE, Ky. — One Louisville woman is helping lead a relief group to help those on the ground in her home country of Ukraine.
Natasha Reimer is from Ukraine, but she's been living in Kentucky for decades. With the invasion of her home country taking place as we speak, she knows right now her help is more important than ever.
"It's hard to see that beauty being destroyed," said Reimer. "It is absolutely horrible. What I receive on a daily basis, my phone is blasting with messages with photos and videos and people sharing their stories."
Originally from Crimea, she said Ukraine is her home, even through the fall of the Soviet Union and more recent Russian annexations.
"I always considered myself Ukrainian, had the Ukrainian passport. And we learn your current Ukrainian history and literature and the language in school," said Reimer.
After going to school in Kentucky, she moved to Louisville for work. Reimer serves as the Executive Director for a relief group called Mulberry International Resources.
Even though she's thousands of miles away, she knows the needs of her home country come first.
"We have partners on the ground that work in different places, trying to help all the hurting people there," said Reimer.
She said tensions in Eastern Ukraine are "nothing new" but the rest of the country isn't used to this level of invasion.
People there are without food and shelter. They are looking for basic resources and looking for some form of stability as their nation seemingly crumbles before their eyes.
"People have to stay in long lines for 30 minutes or more, just to get a bag of food or to withdraw money from the ATM," said Reimer. "We are trying to give out food packages, you know, create shelter for those people whose houses have been destroyed or shelter. They are just scared. They just want to go somewhere and be comforted."
She said she can't believe this is happening.
"It's absolutely surreal.," she said. "I honestly think is just like a nightmare. And we're all gonna wake up, because nobody would believe that this would happen in this day and age."
Reimer said she hopes her fellow Kentuckians will step up to support a country she knows and loves.
"Support the country of Ukraine, in their fight for freedom and for independence, and to fight for their territory," said Reimer.
Click here to support Mulberry International Resources.
Watch her full interview here.
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