Laramie County Woman From Ukraine Urges Support Against Invasion
A Laramie county resident is asking Americans to step up in support of her homeland of Urkaine in the face of a Russian invasion of that country.
Iryna Kochubey Wiggam was born in Ukraine and lived in that country until she came to the United States as a graduate student in her 20s. She is now an American citizen, married to local attorney Boyd Wiggam.
But while she calls herself a "proud American," she still has family in Ukraine, including her mother, who is a doctor, as well as a cousin and numerous close freinds .
Not surprisingly, she is deeply upset about the Russian invasion of her native land. "The pictures that I am seeing that my freinds are posting...they aren't even heartbreaking, they are horrific. Devestating. It looks like Ukraine is getting leveled,'' she said in an interview Saturday on the "Weekend in Wyoming'' program on KGAB radio. She goes on to say "What is worse is people are dying. Kids are dying."
She says so many Ukrainians are volunteering to fight that there are not enough weapons to arm them all. She says that isn't limited to only native Ukrainians either, saying for example, that a group of 200 Nigerians has volunteered to fight the invading Russians as well. Kobuchey-Wiggam says there have even been cases of Russians in the war switching sides and fighting for Ukraine. She says the average Russian soldier in the conflict "has no purpose" and doesn't know why he has been sent to fight. She says of the invading armies "People who are fighting a war without purpose cannot win." But she says Ukrainings, on the other hand, know they are defending their homeland and are willing to die doing so.
Kochubey-Wiggam is asking people to pray for Ukraine. She says her family and friends in Ukraine can physically feel that people are praying for them, and in some cases even seeing visions of angels. She encourages people to donate adding she has posted information on her Facebook page on ways to donate. People can also donate to the Red Cross.
She also asks people to write to their Senator and/or congressperson in support of Ukraine.
Boyd Wiggam adds it would be helpful if Wyoming would agree to take Ukrainian refugees, adding Wyoming is the only state in the U.S. that does not have office set up to refugees. He is asking people to contact state leaders about taking refugees from the war.