NEW HAVEN, Conn. — New Haven-based concert violinist and UConn professor Solomiya Ivakhiv said this is a scary time for her and her family in the Ukraine after the Russian invasion of the country.
Ivakhiv was born in Ukraine and came to the United States to study. She is now Associate Professor of Violin and Viola at UConn and Head of Strings.
“My whole family is there so yes, it’s very scary, very nerve wracking. My grandma just turned 85. She survived World War II,” Ivakhiv said. “It’s heartbreaking to see that she has to go through another war in her lifetime.”
She told FOX61 her brother’s wife and two young kids were in line for two days to cross the border to safety and her brother stayed behind.
“My family, they are helping refugees from eastern Ukraine that come to western Ukraine where I’m from,” she said. “They help them with food and clothing and just setting up camps for them.”
Ivakhiv’s culture and homeland are an inspiration for her music. Last week, she released a new album, recorded with the National Symphony of Ukraine in Kyiv.
“Now, it’s very difficult for me to think that not only my colleagues in the national symphony are in danger, but also that there is a war going on in the place where we performed and where we record and we don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.”
Ivakhiv said the country needs help from the rest of the world, including the imposition of a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
Around Connecticut, voices are growing louder with support for Ukraine. Stand with Ukraine rallies were held in New Haven and Hartford Sunday, including one at St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church.
State leaders were fired up about the situation.
“You have a president who is an inspiration in Ukraine and an inspiration around world, standing up and confronting evil and we’re standing there right with him,” Governor Ned Lamont said. “We’re standing up for freedom and we’re standing up for human rights. That’s what this battle is all about, and Ukraine, you are not alone.”
Senator Richard Blumenthal is calling for stronger sanctions and a boycott of Russian goods. At the rally, Blumenthal referenced President Vladimir Putin putting nuclear forces on high alert Sunday.
“Another scare tactic, another attempt to intimidate the world, but the world is not buying it and the world should stop buying Russian goods, Russian services…boycott Russia,” Blumenthal said.
Around the nation, so far leaders in Utah, New Hampshire and Ohio have called on liquor stores to stop selling Russian-made products.
Elisha Machado is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at emachado@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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