Oakland University students and faculty gather in support of Ukraine

ROCHESTER (FOX 2) - The humanitarian crisis is getting worse in Ukraine as Russian forces move deeper into the country.

In Rochester at Oakland University students and faculty gathered, standing in solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

"This is organized by us professors and students," said Taras Oleksyk, an OU professor. "Some of us are of Ukrainian descent and others are people who are concerned."

They hope to educate and inform, he said.

"What’s the situation on the battlefield, what’s happening with the refugees, how to help," Oleksyk added.

With each passing day, the need to do something gets stronger. After all, there is so much anger, fear, and frustration.

"What we’re trying to do is, we’re trying to focus that frustration, that energy, to do something productive, raise awareness, to spread information," said Walter Wolfsberger an OU student.

They are also working to dispel propaganda and misinformation.

"My parents' house has 16 refugees living in there, my brother-in-law is fighting on the front lines," Oleksyk said.

Wolfsberger spoke about the human toll of innocent civilians the Russian invasion is inflicting.

"The fact that Russians are just indiscriminately bombing civilians, hospitals, children's care buildings, means that extra steps have to be done - because the longer it is prolonged, the longer people are going to suffer," he said.

"We’re not there personally, but in our minds and our hearts, we struggle with it every minute of our lives," Oleksyk said.