a ukrainian view...
Dr. Bogdan Graboviy, his wife, Natalia, and their eldest child, Aleksey, 30, were all born in Ukraine. The couple's two youngest children, Marianna, 15, and Patrick, 13, were born here in America in Louisville, Kentucky.
Natalia, Aleksey, and Dr. Graboviy were refugees brought to America by a Catholic charity.
HUH? What's up with that?
Doctor, tell me a little bit about your background.
Gladly, he responded. I was born in Lviv (luh-veev) in Western Ukraine. I'm a dentist and I practiced for five years before leaving Ukraine and coming to the United States. I went back to school when I got here. Natalia and I had two children after coming to America. We arrived in the United States in 1996.
Do you have extended family in Ukraine?
Yes, he smiled. I've got aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, a lot of family in Ukraine.
Do they have a desire to come here?
No, not really, he said. They have their lives and don't want to come to America. They do come to visit and I've been back three times.
Are they safe in Ukraine?
As of last night, they were all fine, he said. I talked to a few of them just last evening (mid March).
Let's switch gears and talk about what's going on in your homeland. Russian president Vladimir Putin told his people he invaded Ukraine to demilitarize and de-Nazi Ukraine from what he called eight years of bullying and genocide by the government. Is any part of that true?
No, not at all. This is the old KGB way, he replied sternly. They have been doing this since 1939. It's nothing new. They want to take control of Ukraine plain and simple.
Why does Russia want to take over Ukraine? Is it because Ukraine was once part of the Soviet Union?
That's a very good question because historically, Ukraine has been under the control of megapowers since the turn of the 20th century, he lamented. Austria-Hungary, Poland, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia. I think it's because of the political position of Ukraine. Also, it is rich in many minerals in its soil. But, mostly I think because of politics.
(At the beginning of the 20th century, Ukrainian lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian and Russian Empires. In 1918 the Ukrainian territories of Austria-Hungary were consolidated to form the Western Ukrainian National Republic. After a brief period of independence, Ukraine was occupied by Poland, Romania, and Czechoslovakia)
Could there be any validity to the theory that Putin will not tolerate a democracy that is so close to Russia geographically and was once a part of the Soviet Union?
I believe Ukrainian politics has a lot to do with this war because we border Russia, he suggested. The eastern part of Ukraine has a lot of relatives who live in Russia. They share their life stories with those relatives and Russians see what's different about living in Ukraine instead of Russia. At some point, they have to say, Why do I live like this?
What is Putin's ultimate goal?
He's not hiding his goal. He wants to restore the Soviet Union, Dr. Graboviy knowingly replied.
Ukraine president Zelensky is proving to be a tremendous leader. Was that a surprise to you?
Yes, very much a surprise, he answered. I did not support Zelensky in the beginning because he ran for president against the previous president and that's all he did. He never said what he would do for the people of Ukraine. He is doing a great job with a country that is at war.
Did you watch Zelensky's speech to the United States Congress this week (March 16, 2022)?
I did. I watch all his speeches, he said with pride. It was very moving. A lot of people had tears in their eyes because he touched everyone's soul.
Do you think Russian oligarchs have a role in Putin's decision-making?
I'm not sure if they have any role at this point, he guessed. I think they are trying to distance themselves. Their wealth is under attack.
Most people would protect their money.
You have to understand the Russian people, he replied. Yes, they would protect their wealth, but if their life is on the line, they will choose their life instead of money and Putin can kill anybody.
That's been proven.
It has. Like the former Russian KGB agent who was poisoned in London, he recalled.
Millions of Ukrainians are leaving their country seeking refuge in other countries. What's going to happen to them?
People are very generous, he speculated. I got an e-mail from a patient who is stationed in Germany. She said if any of your family needs a place to stay, I've got the room. Look at the refugee camps and all the volunteers. The Ukrainians will survive. War is always a tragedy, especially for kids who are the most vulnerable and traumatized. But, they will survive.
It's amazing how people from other countries want to cross the border and fight for Ukraine.
Many people know living in Russia is like living in a concentration camp, he speculated. People in Poland and Hungary know that, but they never lived in that atmosphere. We don't want to go back to that.
The Russian citizens in general believe what Putin tells them.
Yes, unfortunately, he said. Russia has a huge propaganda machine. I was just arguing with a lady in a group chat. She owned a business here, sold it, and moved back to Bulgaria. Now, she's sharing some ridiculous story that Ukrainians are killing Ukrainians. This is how Russian propaganda works.
The spirit and strength of the Ukrainian people seems remarkable.
Historically, we've been like that. he said with pride. Every time some country took over Ukraine, from century to century, we still survive. We keep our core of integrity, we keep our language, we keep our freedom.
The American press reports or speculates that Putin was surprised by the strong will of the Ukrainian people. Is that accurate?
I don't think it was a surprise to Putin as much as it has been a surprise to the world, he ventured.
You are Orthodox Christian. Is that a big religion in Ukraine?
It's the main religion in addition to Greek Catholic, he replied. But, we have all religions, Jewish, Protestant, Jehovah's Witnesses, any religion you can name.
What are some of the actions you and other local Ukrainians are taking to aid your fellow countrymen?
It's not just us, it's all Americans and immigrants, he replied. My daughter is getting donations at her school. People are donating diapers, Tylenol, blankets, all first-aid items. You name it and it's being collected. We are also working with the mayor's globalization department. We ship everything to Chicago and from there it goes to Poland and on to Ukraine.
What's the best we can hope for at this point?
I can tell you what I hope for, he answered. I hope Putin loses power because as long as he is there, it will never stop.
Dr. Bogdan Graboviy, I wish you success in your fundraising effort and I hope your family remains safe.
Thanks for having me, he said graciously.
Coming up: A world without Wayne; more POS, and; the 148th Run for the Roses is just weeks away!
And, finally. Comedian Bob Hope appeared at the 1958 Indiana State Fair. I was a teenager and he was one of my favorite entertainers, so I decided to go see him. I do not remember any of the program except for a single one-liner (no clue why this has stayed with me all these years):
Hope, impeccably dressed, stood center stage and delivered this line: I just got back from a trip to Russia. When I got to my hotel room each night, I found out Russia is the only country in the world that television watches you.
HUH? What's up with that?
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