Local student from Ukraine worries about her country
Posted Friday, February 21, 2014 — 10:05 p.m.
Iryna Petruniak has lived in the U.S. for four years, and now attends Madison College as an accounting student.
“You worry about the people you love,” Petruniak said, reflecting on recent violent clashes in Kyiv, the capital of her home country — Ukraine.
Her family still lives there.
“When you see things in the news like people are dying… it’s really troubling,” she said.
She misses her family and wishes she could help. Some times she just wishes she was there, she said.
Violence on Kyiv’s streets has cost the lives of over 70 people after Ukraine’s President backed off of an agreement with the European Union.
Most people say Russia is to blame — because they threatened the Ukraine after they initially found an agreement with the E.U.
Today, government officials reached an agreement that would force re-elections and hopefully end political unrest.
“No president of politician was ever able to reunite us,” Petruniak said, adding that she is hoping that something is going to change.
Iryna says for now, she’s going to focus on her studies.
“I love my country so much,” she said, but when I asked her if she was planning to return after she’s done with school, she said no.