ROCHESTER, N.Y. — This year brought back the city of Rochester’s Ukrainian Festival for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. But as the war in Ukraine continues, this year’s celebration means more for many community members. With the help of a translator, one family of Ukrainian refugees reflects on their experience crossing the Poland border to leave Ukraine as they find support in their new community in Rochester. 

“There were really long lines,” Iaroslav Kokoveskyi said. “There was a lot of people at the border. Everyone wanted to save themselves and run for their lives.”

What You Need To Know

  • This year marks the city of Rochester's 50th annual Ukraine Festival

  • As the war in Ukraine continues, for many community members, this year's festival is a positive reminder of home

  • Events like these help Ukrainian refugees find support in their Rochester community

  • One family of Ukrainian refugees reflects on their experience crossing the Poland border to leave Ukraine as they find support in their new community in Rochester

For the Kokoveskyi family, choosing to leave their home country was one of the hardest decisions to make during an already uncertain time. As much as Mariia and Iaroslav were focused on getting away from the war to save their lives, their biggest concern was their 8-year-old daughter, Yana.

“She had to decide if she was a wife or a mother first,” Mariia said. “They had to consider leaving all of their relatives, leaving everything that they know, all of their material possessions. But that was honestly the least of their worries at this point they were just considering their daughter Yana and her psychological state and the effects that the war would have on her if they had chosen to stay.”

Mariia and Yana decided to cross the border into Poland, leaving her husband behind. The family was separated for four months, during which Maria’s father passed away from heart issues. After being reunited with her husband, Mariia said her perspective on the war changed.

“It shifted my thoughts to treasure the little things,” Mariia said. “The quietness outside, little moments of peace, a calm breakfast in the morning, and it really shifted her mind to treasure the important things in life which happened to be the simpler things.”

Now the family is choosing to focus on the good, grateful for the support they’ve found in their new community. The Kokoveskyis have been living with a host family that lead the Rocmaidan organization and they’ve been very involved in this year’s Ukrainian festival.

“It’s really heartwarming to see all of the support of Ukrainians and Americans,” Mariia said. “It might not be affecting Americans here, it might not be affecting every single person here but this Ukrainian festival, raising funds to send over and continue helping with humanitarian aid and funding over there in Ukraine. It’s been great to see all the support from the local community.”