!["I lived [in] a normal country just like you, and suddenly it's a war," said Ukrainian, Igor Ivinishin.](https://media.tegna-media.com/assets/KFSM/images/43fb0adb-c00c-475a-84e7-40608797e181/43fb0adb-c00c-475a-84e7-40608797e181_1920x1080.jpg)
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — For nearly a month, Bentonville, Ark., resident Brittney Boatman has been spending her days texting and calling friends who are in Ukraine. A place she spent three years of her own life.
"It's been difficult," she says.
She has watched her friends from afar as they take shelter multiple times a day.
Igor Ivinishin, Boatman's friend from Ukraine, tells her it didn't take long for the country to be war-torn.
"I lived [in] a normal country just like you, and suddenly it's a war," Ivinishin said.
Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Over 3 million Ukrainians have left the country since, while others who stay have died from several Russian rocket launches.
Igor said he first fell into self-pity and feared for his life when the invasion started. However, his perspective has since changed.
"We've switched our focus from thoughts of self-survival to helping others," he said.
Ivinishin says he still must take shelter multiple times a day when there are possible airstrikes nearby. His city is also under curfew, like the rest of the country. Despite that, Ivinishin and members of his church cross over the polish border to gather and deliver aid. Medicine, sheets, and tents are in short supply in harder-hit areas. Some Ukrainians have been forced to shelter-in-place for days.
"You are exposed to flying shrapnel and pieces of bomb explosions, and there's a high chance you can get wounded or killed," he said, retelling the horrific scene in Ukraine.
At this point, Ukrainians must choose between starving in a shelter or going outside to eat.
"It's little chance that people survive," Ivinishin said. "It's better to hide."
Although the war is unfortunate, Boatman and Ivinishin chose to look on the brighter side of things.
"It feels like it's one whole unit, and it's everybody coming together and saying, 'We're going to protect each other' and "we're going to help together," Boatman said.
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