Ukrainian Americans in NYC's 'Little Ukraine' and 'Little Odessa' neighborhoods speak out


Ukrainian Americans in New York City are desperate to get in touch with their loved ones overseas as Vladimir Putin’s Russian army invades their home country. 

New York City is home to more than 150,000 Ukrainians, the largest concentration in the country, with the majority now railing against the deadly occupation.  

The biggest clusters of Ukrainians are in Manhattan’s East Village, an area known as Ukrainian Village or Little Ukraine, and in Brighton Beach, where so many ex-Soviets emigrated that it earned the nickname Little Odessa, after a Ukrainian city on the Black Sea. 

The neighborhoods saw an influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe after World War II, then experienced another wave in the mid-1970’s when Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union. 

On Thursday, DailyMail.com visited Brighton Beach, a waterfront community in the southernmost reaches of Brooklyn, where anxieties were running high along the boardwalk and in shops as residents fixated on disturbing images out of Ukraine.    

They told DailyMail.com along the bustling commercial strip that they worried about the impact of the Russian invasion, the potential for WWIII and their family and friends who are stuck in Ukraine. 

The biggest clusters of Ukrainians in the U.S. are in Manhattan's East Village, an area known as Ukrainian Village or Little Ukraine, and in Brighton Beach, where so many ex-Soviet immigrants emigrated that it earned the nickname Little Odessa, after a Ukrainian city on the Black Sea

The biggest clusters of Ukrainians in the U.S. are in Manhattan’s East Village, an area known as Ukrainian Village or Little Ukraine, and in Brighton Beach, where so many ex-Soviet immigrants emigrated that it earned the nickname Little Odessa, after a Ukrainian city on the Black Sea

St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church on the lower east side of Manhattan has a sign on the front door of church that reads, 'Pray for Ukraine'

St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church on the lower east side of Manhattan has a sign on the front door of church that reads, ‘Pray for Ukraine’

On Thursday, DailyMail.com visited Brighton Beach, a waterfront community in the southernmost reaches of Brooklyn, where anxieties were running high along the boardwalk and in shops as residents fixated on disturbing images out of Ukraine

On Thursday, DailyMail.com visited Brighton Beach, a waterfront community in the southernmost reaches of Brooklyn, where anxieties were running high along the boardwalk and in shops as residents fixated on disturbing images out of Ukraine

A Russian man on the street reads about Ukrainians and Russians in their war in the newspaper in Brighton Beach in Brooklyn

A Russian man on the street reads about Ukrainians and Russians in their war in the newspaper in Brighton Beach in Brooklyn

Manhattan's Ukrainian Village saw an influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe after World War II, then experienced another wave in the mid-1970's when Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union

Manhattan’s Ukrainian Village saw an influx of immigrants from Eastern Europe after World War II, then experienced another wave in the mid-1970’s when Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union

St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church sits on the lower east side of Manhattan in a neighborhood known as the Ukrainian Village or Little Ukraine

St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church sits on the lower east side of Manhattan in a neighborhood known as the Ukrainian Village or Little Ukraine 

Robert Bederoff 

As Russia wages war on his homeland, Robert Bederoff, a truck driver, planted his Ukrainian flag on the back of his Jeep Gladiator pickup truck in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, with plans to lead a caravan into Manhattan.

Bederoff told DailyMail.com Thursday that he felt a need to express his pride and concern for relatives who are facing a military onslaught nearly 5,000 miles away.

‘I have my flag out in support of all the innocent people of Ukraine,’ said Bederoff. ‘I’m watching YouTube right now, as many videos as I can, and I’m seeing missiles blowing up everywhere. People are scared for their lives, hiding in train stations and bunkers, with only the clothes on their backs. It’s very sad knowing we can’t do anything to help. What else can we do other than wait, pray and hope.’

‘I don’t know what ‘s going to happen, but we’re trying to do our best here to get as many people, friends and family, safely away from all the madness there,’ said Bederoff, waving the flag on the back of his truck. ‘They don’t want to come here. They want to stay in the motherland. But since all this started, maybe that will change their minds. We can help them with living arrangements and clothing. But at the end of the day, how can we get them from there to here?’ 

Robert Bederoff has a USA flag and a Ukrainian flag on his truck as he is interviewed DailyMail.com about the Ukrainians and Russians at war as he speaks in Brighton Beach in Brooklyn

Robert Bederoff has a USA flag and a Ukrainian flag on his truck as he is interviewed DailyMail.com about the Ukrainians and Russians at war as he speaks in Brighton Beach in Brooklyn

Bederoff told DailyMail.com Thursday that he felt a need to express his pride and concern for relatives who are facing a military onslaught nearly 5,000 miles away

Bederoff told DailyMail.com Thursday that he felt a need to express his pride and concern for relatives who are facing a military onslaught nearly 5,000 miles away

Allen Kachur 

Allen Kachur, 58, was working in a gift shop Thursday, but focused on his two brothers and sister living in Chernivtski in Western Ukraine.

‘I’ve been talking to all of them today because I’m worried,’ Kachur said. ‘My relatives in Ukraine say this is war. And I read today that a lot of people, young people there, are joining the military. 

‘They want to defend their land. They will fight, not surrender. But the Russians have the second strongest army in the world. Ukraine cannot defend itself. It needs support from other countries. Putin will not stop. He will continue with this invasion and go further, as far as he can.’

He said President Biden needs to not just impose sanctions, but also send more weapons to Ukraine. 

In the meantime, he’s praying for peace negotiations.

‘Civilians will die, military will die from both sides,’ he said. ‘But this is not 100 years ago. It’s the 21st century and we have a table for negotiations. We need negotiations.’

Allen Kachur, 58, was working in a gift shop Thursday, but focused on his two brothers and sister living in Chernivtski in Western Ukraine. He was interviewed by DailyMail.com about the Ukrainians and Russians at war as he speaks in Brooklyn

Allen Kachur, 58, was working in a gift shop Thursday, but focused on his two brothers and sister living in Chernivtski in Western Ukraine. He was interviewed by DailyMail.com about the Ukrainians and Russians at war as he speaks in Brooklyn 

Flora Minyala 

Flora Minyala, 49, has a 47-year-old brother living in Lviv.

‘I’m just thinking about my brother,’ she said. ‘I’m destroyed. It’s just horrible. I can’t reach him and I have to download an app to try and speak with him today. I’m worried this is all heading to World War III.’

‘I thought that Putin would sit down and talk,’ she added. 

‘I don’t understand why Putin is doing this. What does he really want, money? I’m just hoping President Biden is able to do something to stop what’s going on, without making it any worse than it is now.’

Flora Minyala, 49, has a 47-year-old brother living in Lviv. 'I'm just thinking about my brother,' she said. 'I'm destroyed. It's just horrible. I can't reach him and I have to download an app to try and speak with him today. I'm worried this is all heading to World War III'

Flora Minyala, 49, has a 47-year-old brother living in Lviv. ‘I’m just thinking about my brother,’ she said. ‘I’m destroyed. It’s just horrible. I can’t reach him and I have to download an app to try and speak with him today. I’m worried this is all heading to World War III’ 

Anthony Zlotchevsky

Anthony Zlotchevsky, 60, was born in the port city of Odessa and came to the United States in 1977, when Ukraine was part of Russia and the Soviet Union. 

He now shares a community teaming with both Russians and Ukrainians.

‘The people are scared here because we used to be one nation and we all have lots of relatives and family living in each country,’ he said. ‘We all worry about what’s going to happen. I just pray it’s going to end soon because there is no winner situation. It’s terrible for everyone.’

‘I’m not sure what’s behind Putin’s plans,’ he added. ‘I hope it’s not too late to stop the war.’

Anthony Zlotchevsky, 60, was born in the port city of Odessa and came to the United States in 1977, when Ukraine was part of Russia and the Soviet Union. He now shares a community teaming with both Russians and Ukranians

Anthony Zlotchevsky, 60, was born in the port city of Odessa and came to the United States in 1977, when Ukraine was part of Russia and the Soviet Union. He now shares a community teaming with both Russians and Ukranians

Roman Levkov

Roman Levkov, 55, was living the Republic of Crimea until December, when he moved to the States.

‘I was there when it changed to Russia in 2014,’ Levkov said. He said he considered himself Russian.

‘People in Crimea live in Ukraine, but actually they are Russians, pro Russians,’ he said. ‘They don’t want to be Europe. Russia has money, and in Russia they don’t steal so much like in Ukraine.’

Roman Levkov, 55, was living the Republic of Crimea until December, when he moved to the states. 'I was there when it changed to Russia in 2014,' Levkov said

Roman Levkov, 55, was living the Republic of Crimea until December, when he moved to the states. ‘I was there when it changed to Russia in 2014,’ Levkov said

Mark Treyger, a Ukrainian American former New York City councilman who represented Coney Island, likened what’s happening in Ukraine to a blitzkrieg from WWII.

‘Many in the Ukrainian community here strongly condemn Russia’s aggression and any attempt by the Russian president to recreate the Soviet Union,’ he told DailyMail.com. ‘There’s a reason why NATO was born and there’s a reason why America and allies that believed in democracy banded together to try to be a counterforce to Soviet aggression, communism and tyranny.

‘We need to go back to the original principles of NATO’s formation and to really band together the free world and stand up for Ukraine, because this is not the end for Putin,’ he said.

‘We have seen this playbook before, where a tyrant will try to conquer neighboring lands in the name of reunification, just like Hitler annexed and did take over parts of Czechoslovakia,’ he said.

‘It does not end well when the world practices appeasement. The U.S. needs to rally Europe, NATO and its allies and put adequate pressure on Russia to suspend this operation and protect the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine.’

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