Ukrainian woman and her daughter leave their homeland for peace in Fargo

With the war in Europe continuing, a Ukrainian woman and her daughter move to Fargo searching for peace and safety.

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – Kateryna Rudich and her husband were visiting Hungary February 24 when the Russian military attacked Kharkiv, her home city at the time.

They rushed back home to see their daughter who was being taken care of by her grandparents.

“Our daughter, she’s only four-years-old and her grandmother was in a small village near Kharkiv because they think it should be a safe place. But, it wasn’t. This village was occupied by Russian military. The supply of food and drinking water was almost gone. So, we take a risk and run through a snow-covered field for about five miles because the only road through this village was mined,” North Dakota State University Lab Technician Kateryna Rudich said.

What she saw before leaving her home country and the reality of her family’s situation will haunt her for years to come.

“Destroyed houses, destroyed schools, destroyed hospitals, destroyed shopping malls. It’s very hard to see. It was very difficult to see how all your life destroyed. All my family is now homeless. And it’s very difficult,” Rudich said.

In May, Rudich moved to Fargo to work within science research at NDSU.

Since moving to the region, she’s grateful people are stepping up to help her and her daughter.

“A woman from Fargo gives us shelter. She placed a poster online ‘Ukraine take shelter,’ and…she had placed for Ukrainian families. So I contacted her and now we live together in her house. We find a big Ukrainian community here and we have many friends from Ukraine and many friends from U.S.A and all people wants to help us,” Rudich said.

Rudich says her husband found a job in Ukraine’s west side while her father is under shelter near the frontlines of battle. She has more family members taking shelter in Germany.