Ukrainians living in Westchester County travel overseas to defend Kyiv in fight against Russia

YONKERS, N.Y. — Ukraine’s government said 60,000 citizens residing abroad are in the process of returning to their homeland to join the fight.

CBS2’s Tony Aiello found that includes at least two Ukrainians who had been living in Westchester County.

Oleh Bilovus was on the phone with two Ukrainian friends, both about 25 years old. They’ve left Westchester to join the stream of Ukrainians returning home to help in the fight against Russia.

“They were working the construction in Carmel and they decided to go and support Ukraine,” Bilovus said. “If they need to cook, they gonna cook. If they need to fight, they gonna give them the gun and they gonna go to fight.”

Bilovus said it’s very hard for Ukrainians in America to watch an existential threat to their homeland. He’s proud that his friends are willing to take up arms, despite the danger.

“They are going anyway. They are ready to give their lives to support Ukraine, and kick Russian aggression from Ukraine,” Bilovus said.

“There was no attempt to attack, as we all know, Russia and everybody is understanding and behind this whole fight for survival, basically,” said Andrij Burchak, from the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.

Courtesy of Yonkers police, 50 protective helmets and 40 bullet-resistant vests are also heading to Ukraine. The vests were retired after 10 years in use, but are still effective.

Mayor Mike Spano called it a small gesture that sends a big message.

“What can we do, and here’s a small answer. But people should be asking that question over and over again, so that they can see how they can fit, even in a small way, their own way of helping out the people of Ukraine,” Spano said.

The two young Ukrainians left Westchester on Sunday. They traveled through Poland and are in Western Ukraine. They hope to reach Kyiv and join in the defense of the city in the next few days.