As Sonia Mycak watches the escalating crisis in Ukraine from Sydney, she says “anxiety has become anguish”.
In the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, close to the border with Belarus, her cousin’s son is prepared to fight.
Ms Mycak said he first volunteered to enlist in the army in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea - a southern province of Ukraine - and began backing heavily armed separatists in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
“He returned from that frontline activity only when he himself was seriously wounded. And he established a rehabilitation centre for returned soldiers in Chernihiv,” Ms Mycak told SBS News.
“Now, over these last few weeks, he has been preparing his wife and young children for evacuation, but he himself is prepared to fight again.
“He has said that he will not leave his city. He will stay and defend his city and his country.”
Ms Mycak’s parents immigrated to Australia in 1949, as part of the first large wave of Ukrainian immigrants following World War II. She has family in both eastern and western Ukraine.
Also a research fellow with the Australian National University’s Centre for European Studies, she has been closely monitoring events in Ukraine for the past eight years.
She said the recent escalation, labelled the “beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine” by US President Joe Biden, has had a personal impact.
Bitter about Ukraine's long-term goal to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and claiming it as historic Russian land, Russian President Vladimir Putin has amassed more than 150,000 troops near Ukraine's borders, according to US estimates, and ordered soldiers into the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk regions to "keep the peace".
Western nations, , have responded by announcing new sanctions to target Russian banks and elites, while Germany has halted a major gas pipeline project from Russia.
“To put it simply, Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine,” Mr Biden said on Tuesday. “This is the beginning of a Russian invasion.”
Ms Mycak said while the years-long conflict - which dates back to 1991 when Ukraine split from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and formed its independence - may appear complicated, it can be simply described as “a grab for territory”.
“The reality is today, Ukraine is a sovereign state, an independent nation. And we don't, we should not, be living in a world where a large aggressive neighbour can appropriate your territory at any time through brutal force,” she said.
“And in that sense, Putin is really shaking the foundations of our modern world.”
Ms Mycak said it’s now realistic to have fears for her family’s safety - and more widely for the people of Ukraine.
“I think that watching the resilience of the Ukrainian people makes me realise that in the event that Ukraine will respond with military action - to what is an invasion - many people will be called upon to fight,” she said.
“And what we’ve seen in Ukraine over the last few weeks is that even people who would have never seen themselves in the role of some kind of combat - senior citizens in their 70s, women with young children - are making arrangements because they are prepared to quickly enlist for training in order to protect their own locality.
“People in Ukraine are seeing it very much as their own locality under threat.”
Ganna Ursulenko has also been nervously watching the news and trying to stay in touch with her family in the capital, Kyiv.
She immigrated to Australia about six years ago with her husband and daughter, who was one-and-a-half years old, and now lives in Sydney.
Ganna Ursulenko pictured with her husband Oleksandr in Sydney. Source: Supplied
She describes the last few days as being “a real shock but quite predictable”.
“Because in Ukraine, we’ve already had war for eight years. So there [has been] present Russian aggression for eight years, especially in the Donetsk region,” Ms Ursulenko told SBS News.
“Of course, I was very concerned.. I was reading all the news, nervous, speaking to my parents who are in Kyiv now.
“And the situation is stressful for me as a daughter, because I’m really concerned for my parents and my relatives, who are in Ukraine.”
Ms Ursulenko said her friends and relatives are remaining calm and trying to stay positive - and are, too, willing to fight for their country.
“I think they’re determined to resist Russian aggression, and, let’s say, fight for Ukraine if needed or support the army in any way they could.”
'The invasion of Ukraine has effectively begun'
Prime Minister Scott Morrison echoed language used by Mr Biden as he announced sanctions on Wednesday, telling reporters “the invasion of Ukraine has effectively begun”.
Mr Morrison said Australia will impose travel bans and targeted financial sanctions on eight members of Russia's national security council.
He said broader sanctions will be extended to the separatist Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, which have access to capital across a number of sectors including telecommunications, oil, gas and military reserves.
Sanctions will also be placed on Russia's state bank and banks with defence ties.
"Russia is behaving like thugs and bullies, and they should be called out as being thugs and bullies," Mr Morrison said.
Ms Mycak said it is positive that Australia will be providing a coordinated response with other countries, including the US, Britain and Canada.
“Sanctions need to be coordinated worldwide. And so I’m heartened to see that the Australian government has taken that seriously,” she said, adding sanctions must be immediate.
“The other aspect of the sanctions that concerns me is that they seem to be limited to a number of oligarchs, a number of individuals. I’m questioning whether that limitation is going to be effective.”
Ms Ursulenko said it’s important “that all countries implement sanctions against Russia”, and agreed they should be strong and implemented quickly.
“We've seen that many countries implement their sanctions before. And, unfortunately, it's not working all the time. But, of course, it should be done - and as fast as possible,” she said.
Mr Morrison also said Australia has already begun taking action regarding cybersecurity and will prepare for counter-attacks.
He flagged he's asked the immigration minister to accelerate the inclusion of Ukrainians to humanitarian visa applications to Australia.
Ms Mycak said both steps were pleasing. She said she would like to see Australia consider joining other countries in providing forms of military assistance - that would not necessarily amount to the deployment of troops - such as training or equipment.
Australia has ruled out direct military assistance, but has left the door open to technical military support. Mr Morrison declined to elaborate on what the term meant.
Ms Ursulenko said she appreciates the support Australia is offering Ukraine.
“And we all hope for the best, and I hope it will help Ukraine to fight this Russian aggression, " she said.
With Reuters.
