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Detroiter drops off medical supplies in Poland to support Ukrainians; currently in Kyiv
Borys Potapenko made the trip from Metro Detroit to Ukraine on Sunday.
DETROIT, Mich. (FOX 2) - FOX 2: "What is your objective there?"
Borys Potapenko: "It's important for me to be able to report back to FOX 2 and other sources about what we as Michiganians, who are engaged in advocacy for Ukraine in the war, that we can honestly say that we saw it ourselves; we spoke to the fighters, the refugees, we saw how the humanitarian aid is being dispersed."
Potapenko lives in Metro Detroit. He made the trip Kyiv, Ukraine for many reasons.
"Most important for me to be able to go to the east to see the front lines that have now been moved away from Kyiv and to be able to report back," Potapenko said.
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He's ensuring that the reality of what's happening on the ground gets right to elected leaders. This is part of his work with the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America Michigan Chapter and Ukrainian American Freedom Foundation.
"Our delegation to Congress is doing a wonderful job in keeping President Biden energized and going forward with this monumental, historic task to save the world freedom and peace and stability in Europe and the world," Potapenko said.
FOX 2: "National security advisor Jake Sullivan said that Russian forces have pulled out of the northern portion of Ukraine… the northeastern portion of Ukraine because they have to regroup. The response from the Ukrainian people has been overwhelming strategically, and you're obviously in Kyiv which is now again under the control of the Ukrainians. What sort of military effort are you seeing on the ground there?"
Borys Potapenko: "Not only to meet with the fighting men and women, I was also able to meet with the volunteers and unfortunately not too many people in the street. Kyiv is a very bustling and vibrant capital city with millions and millions of residents and it's quite amazing how quiet the streets are."
"Today was a very important opportunity for our men and women to swear in their friends and to get on with the fight," said Potapenko. "They're all being deployed, not all of them, but a company of them into southeastern Ukraine where the Russians are mounting a second offensive. Even though the war is 6 weeks in, there are more and more people registering as they reach age 18."
Potapenko says there's still a need for body armor, tourniquets, bulletproof vests and tactical equipment.