Local Supporters Organizing Protests To Advocate For Ukraine

(CBS DETROIT) - Members from the Ukrainian American Crisis Response Committee say Russian President Vladimir Putin won't be stopped by just sanctions.

Borys Potapenko, a member of the committee says, the last 30 years of independence have been an ongoing struggle between the two nations.

"Ukraine had been dominated by Russia as a colony during the Zaros period at 1700s and 1800s, then as a colony of Soviet Russia during the communist period. This is a very, very long period of time.

The group believes Putin is against democracy and won't go down without a fight.

Over the last 8 years Potapenko says more tensions began to mount following the Revolution of Dignity in 2014.

During that time, protests sparked after government officials refused to sign an agreement with the European Union and instead opting ties with Russian.

 "That for Putin was the greatest threat because what happened was that Ukraine proclaimed itself not only to be a nation, not only to be a country, but to be a democracy," said Potapenko.

Wednesday's attacks are prompting the group to call on domestic support to organize demonstrations on behalf of the Ukrainian community.

"It's so amazing how Ukrainians have responded with calm, and with determination," Potapenko explained.

Advocates plan to meet Sunday at Hart Plaza in Detroit and Monday in Washington for a commemoration rally to garner more support in the days ahead.

"Ukrainians have this internal fortitude based on generations and generations of struggle for freedom and that's why we see their resolve today," Potapenko said.

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