CARMEL — Feb. 24 marks one year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Hundreds right here in Central Indiana got a chance to listen to the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine play Friday evening.
Nearly 1,200 people filled the seats of the Palladium in Carmel for an evening of classical music and solidarity with the war-torn country.
“We’re all tired. This is…I cannot believe we’re still in this and in the thick of it. But, we’re hopeful that this is gonna be over. We are taking it day by day," Anya Aslanova said.
Two local organizations, Indiana Supports Ukraine and the Ukrainian Society of Indiana, were in attendance Friday.
The nonprofits shared information about Ukrainian culture and collected supplies to ship to people living through a winter of war.
“It’s as terrible as we see on TV and worse. Of course we don’t see everything that’s happening. But it’s awful," Aslanova said.
The past year, ISU has sent approximately 2.5 tons of humanitarian aid to their home country.
Aslanova says much of her family is still in Ukraine; she even has relatives who’ve joined the military to fight for their country.
“I cannot imagine what anybody feels like living in Ukraine right now and not knowing what’s going to happen a minute from now," she said.
Alona Bahler with the Ukrainian Society feels similar.
“It is horrible. My family and friends are out there in the bomb shelters, hiding from bombs every single day," Bahler said.
Bahler says if you don’t know much about Ukrainian culture, she encourages you to learn.
“Knowledge is power. When you understand the history that is behind it, it’s so important. It makes it familiar. It’s not something out there, and they’re fighting, it’s something you already know and feel passionate about," she said.
