NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. — The ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia is affecting those living here in Kentucky. 

What You Need To Know

  • A Kentuckian born in Siberia is calling on people in the state to help refugees

  • He and his wife from Ukraine are helping collect donations for the Christian Mission Ebenezer organization

  • Konstatin Serdyuk moved to Kentucky in the mid-1990s

  • CME plans to send a container of supplies to Poland for Ukrainian refugees

A Jessamine County man born in Russia is calling for people in the commonwealth to help those in Ukraine.

Konstatin Serdyuk has made the Bluegrass state his home in the mid-1990s. Now he builds custom homes.

“We moved to Kentucky in 1997, about three days apart, our families,” Serdyuk said.

Born in Siberia, he immigrated to the United States at 4 from the former Soviet Union. He met his wife here.

“We were still very young children then. We went to the same church and that’s how it started,” Serdyuk said.

She grew up in Ukraine and was born in a town called Lviv. 

“Most of the refugees are going through into Poland. It’s right next to Poland and that was one of the most recent strikes, military strikes by Russia, it’s right next Lviv,” Serdyuk said.

So he and his wife are helping the Christian Mission Ebenezer organization. 

“Regardless of politics, regardless of right and wrong, we are we, or me specifically and a lot of people that are in the same group as us in the same community, we are attempting to help,” Serdyuk said.

They’re generating donations of clothes, food, and supplies to send to refugees.

“But this is winter. We’re hoping to get this container to them quickly within the next two weeks, so it’s still cold,” Serdyuk said. “So anything that’s, you know, for that suited for that environment, anything that can survive the journey that can go on and be passed out.”

The images are hard to watch for Serdyuk and the community.

“Pain, sorrow, sadness, sadness. I mean, this is anytime at any time humans are hurting each other, doesn’t matter if they’re Russian, Ukrainian, doesn’t matter what nationality what anything, it’s just, this is absolutely unnecessary,” Serdyuk said. “And, you know, people suffer and anytime people are suffering that’s, that’s terrible.” 

He also shared his thoughts on Russian president Vladimir Putin. 

“Mainly President Putin, yes, he might be all the things and he might not, but just labeling him makes us feel better because that makes him the bad guy,” Serdyuk said. “But it doesn’t do anything to resolve the situation. They’ve been. They’ve been hurt, you know, people that really shouldn’t be touched by this war. But that is the byproduct of war, suffering,” Serdyuk said.

The Christian Mission Ebenezer organization currently has about 30 missionary stations throughout Ukraine. Right now, they are collecting items for a container to send to Poland for Ukrainian refugees.

They are accepting the following items:

  • Non-perishable food items
  • New clothes (men, women & kids)
  • Thermal undergarments
  • Candles
  • Hats & Gloves
  • Linens
  • Sleeping bags
  • Bedding
  • Blankets
  • Baby items
  • Formula
  • Diapers
  • Baby food
  • First Aid Supplies
  • Gauze
  • First aid kits
  • Bandages
  • Safety Pins
  • Vaseline
  • Saline Eye Drops

Here are more details if you are interested in helping.

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