"It seems it is getting worse by day," Luliia said."It is more and more indiscriminate, and more and more shelling, and now there is actual bombings by airplanes. My sister says it is the scariest sight of all."
Contact between Luliia in oceanside and her family in Ukraine has been pretty good. She texts often using WhatsApp and her cell service, Verizon, gives her free calls to Ukraine. It’s less a phone line, more a lifeline."It is absolutely a lifeline. Not only for me because I just lose my mind not knowing what’s happening, but also for them." Luliia said."She is so strong she doesn’t even cry. I cry, she doesn’t," Luliia said.
Kharkiv is surrounded on three sides. After the invading Russians bombed the train station, there are far fewer ways out of the city. Luliia is encouraged by all the blue and gold at Tuesday's State of the Union address and is hopeful the rest of the world will help Ukraine. "I am very grateful for the response from the United States and the whole wide world that supported Ukraine. It’s just really sad that it took a crisis," she said.