When over 100,000 Russian troops crossed the Ukrainian border last week, Ukrainians all over the world felt the impact.
Now, Ukrainians living in Central Wisconsin, and those with ties to the county are speaking out about the growing situation in Europe's largest country.
Anna Howdak never thought this would happen.
"It's unbelievable, like a nightmare," she said, tears rolling down her face, "I'm helpless, what can I do."
A Ukrainian American born and raised in post World War II in Germany, Howdak has always taken pride in her heritage.
"My mother dressed us [her and her sisters] in Ukrainian clothing, she made it herself." she said.
Seeing the devastation now, she's heartbroken.
"I can't sleep, I'm so worried, I can't believe it." she said.
She's not alone, Antonio Centeno lives in Wittenberg now, but his wife is from Kyiv, and last summer he was sitting in a coffeeshop in Ukraine with his daughters; their favorite daddy daughter date spot.
Now, a few days ago, he watched a video of a missile hitting the building it stood under.
"This was a place I took my daughters three times this summer, it was like out date place to go." said Centeno.
He and his family have been in contact with 20 families back in Ukraine, 18 of them have been displaced.
"They're living in the country in small houses with no electricity." said Centeno, "This is something very real, we've had our Ukrainian family over five times, they love Central Wisconsin, they love freedom."
He says the situation in Ukraine impacts all of us, saying in the end, we're all humans.
"Human beings are human beings, and we focus in on our immediate problems, are we hungry? What are we going to do tonight for entertainment?" he said, "We focus on what's in front of us and Ukrainians used to be just like that, until a hundred thousand Russian troops invaded their country."
The biggest message both of them wanted to get across was that now is a time for unity, no matter where you call home.
