LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A University of Louisville student from Ukraine said he's continuing to send money to his parents who are stuck in Kyiv to help pay for food and medication.
Arty Pavlov, who is working on his second master's degree at UofL, said his parents are safe Monday and their neighborhood remains intact after they were woken in the middle of the night by nearby explosions.
"It's that fear of not knowing which building is going to get hit next," Pavlov said.
Food and medication are still available in Kyiv, but Pavlov's parents said waits are long to get supplies.
Like most people still living in Kyiv, Pavlov said his parents aren't able to work.
"My parents don't have a job right now because they're music teachers," Pavlov said. "No one wants to play instruments in the middle of the war."
To help them get by, Pavlov sends them whatever he can spare.
"I'll survive," Pavlov said. "There is a lot of cheap food I can get, there are dollar stores. There are ways to survive on a small budget so it's not something I'm too concerned about as long as my parents get enough food and medication."
Pavlov said he's getting emergency funding from UofL to help with his expenses.
The University of Louisville has financial help available for students who have unexpected financial emergencies through the Louis and Louise W. Weisser Bornwasser Student Emergency Fund. UofL offers funding to help students in need so they don't drop out of school.
To be eligible, a student must be currently enrolled and in good standing with UofL and have exhausted all other resources.
Pavlov says the program is helping him pay some of his bills right now.
He uses a small amount of his paycheck to cover the rest and sends what remains to his mom and dad.
Thursday, Ukrainian officials said remnants of a downed Russian rocket landed on a 16-story apartment building in northern Kyiv, killing one.
Pavlov said that was his friend's childhood apartment.
"Pretty much the whole 16th floor where their apartment was, was pretty much obliterated," Pavlov said.
Artyom Vasykovskyi, Pavlov's friend, went to survey the damage Friday.
His parents still live there, but thankfully they were not home when the debris landed because their apartment unit was struck.
Pavlov said his parents plan to stay in Kyiv for now. He said they're too scared to leave because there are reports of the Russian army shooting at civilians trying to flee.
Even if some sort of peace agreement is signed by Russia, Pavlov said his parents may end up moving to Lviv or another western city in Ukraine in case Russia tries to invade again in the future.
"They just don't believe that Russia will leave us alone," Pavlov said.
Hear more from Pavlov here.
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