Ukrainian refugee in US: ‘I don’t believe that we’re here’ after crossing the southern border

For weeks, Mayrna Sokolovska has watched from afar as Russian artillery, gunfire, and airstrikes devastate her dwelling nation of Ukraine.

“I nonetheless can not consider it,” Sokolovska instructed Fox Information from her dwelling of Beverly Hills, Calif.  “The whole lot, the place I grew up — all my homeland — is simply burnt out [and] destroyed.”

RUSSIA INVASION: PUTIN BECOMING ‘PARIAH’ BEFORE WORLD STAGE, EXPERTS SAY

Lots of the photographs Sokolovska sees of Russia’s renewed invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth week, come from her 24-year-old brother Roman, a soldier with the Ukrainian navy.  She says he texts her movies from the entrance strains displaying hollowed-out buildings, destroyed tanks and the our bodies of lifeless troopers lining the streets.

She additionally obtained common updates throughout video chats along with her cousin and greatest pal, Anna Bilonozhko, who lived in Kyiv along with her 6-year-old son, Mark. The 2 girls grew up collectively within the japanese Ukrainian metropolis of Donetsk and she or he says their tight bond remained robust even after Sokolovska moved to the USA in 2008.

“She picked up the cellphone and I see it in her eyes,” Sokolovska mentioned, describing how the battle had been affected her cousin.  “I instructed her, ‘it’s a must to depart now.’”

ZELENSKYY BLASTS RUSSIAN ‘TERROR’ AS MARIUPOL ART SCHOOL SHELTERING 400 IS STRUCK 

Whereas her brother should stay in Ukraine due to a Presidential decree forbidding military-aged males from leaving the nation, she says she turned decided to convey Bilonozhko and her son to her dwelling in Beverly Hills. Sokolovska mentioned she was additionally motivated by her personal historical past.  Her father was killed in an explosion as he walked dwelling from work in Could of 2014, one month after Russian troopers first invaded Ukraine.

“I can not lose her,” Sokolovska mentioned. “She’s the closest human on this earth for me.”

Sokolovska mentioned she first secured a driver to take the pair to Kyiv’s central prepare station so they might get to Poland by rail.  She mentioned that journey took two days, because the automobile slowly navigated across the Ukrainian capital to keep away from bombed-out or blocked bridges and roadways.

After they lastly bought on the prepare to Poland, Sokolovska mentioned she flew from Los Angeles to Warsaw and met them at a bus station. 

PUTIN’S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE MAY HAVE SPIRITUAL, RELIGIOUS FOUNDATIONS: ‘GOOD VS. EVIL’

Over the following week, Sokolovska says they traveled to 4 extra European nations attempting to get visas to the USA however have been unsuccessful. She says they finally obtained a visa from the Mexican Embassy in Budapest.  

“We went by way of plenty of nations throughout this journey,” Sokolovska mentioned.  “I instructed her, ‘do not hand over.’”

After two extra flights and lengthy hours in passport management, the trio lastly arrived on the U.S.-Mexico border between Tijuana and San Diego.   That’s the place Sokolovska says Bilonozhko utilized for – and obtained — entry to the U.S. for herself and her son below non permanent humanitarian parole.

“She’s [a] hero for me,” Bilonozhko mentioned of her cousin whereas preventing again tears. “It is superb, . It is like a dream…I simply smile.”

PUTIN HAS ‘NO WAY OUT’ OF FAILED UKRAINE INVASION, FORMER NATO AMBASSADOR SAYS

“I used to be simply scared and crying…for him, for my life… it was horrible, ” Bilonozhko continued, as she described attempting to relax her son whereas they have been nonetheless in Kyiv, because the sounds of planes rumbled overhead and explosions rattled the partitions and home windows.

Sokolovska hopes different Americans with household in Ukraine will even look into bringing their family members to the U.S. if they’ve the means to take action. 

“If they’ve the power to do it, simply do it,” mentioned Sokolovska.

If not, Bilonozhko encourages individuals who can to donate clothes, meals, and different gadgets for these fleeing or nonetheless in Ukraine, which incorporates her mother and father, who she has not been capable of attain for over per week.  A lot of her household stay within the war-torn Donetsk area. 

ATTORNEYS HELP UKRAINIAN IMMIGRANTS STAY IN US, BRING FAMILY MEMBERS FROM WAR-TORN HOME

“I am so grateful they’re protected,” Sokolovska mentioned.  “Each time once I see them… I wish to cry as a result of like, , it is arduous to see them. We went by way of so much.”

“I hope to return to my dwelling, to my nation, however not now,” Bilonozhko mentioned.  “Now, it’s inconceivable.”

Fox Information’s Christina Coleman contributed to this report.