Drivers heading down Lebanon Road in Symmes Township and Loveland Friday afternoon saw dozens of protesters lining both sides of the road. The group held Ukrainian flags and signs, of support for Ukraine and condemnation for Putin and the Russian invasion of Ukraine."We are strong. We are small," one man chanted. "By our heart, by our soul and the bravery, we're much stronger."The group rallied in solidarity with Ukraine. The protest was organized by two women who lived in Ukraine and have family still there. Nazly Mamedova is one of them."I have family members who left about a week ago and then some family members weren't able to leave," she said. "They're sending us videos of people being bombed."Mary Smethurst, a Loveland resident, joined the protest after seeing it live on WLWT."We are behind the people in Ukraine," she said. "Ukraine means a lot to us. My daughter was in Ukraine as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years, so we got to go. We spent two weeks in 2006, and the people were just lovely," she said. "All these months that people have been talking about what's going to happen and you just feel like how could you live that, knowing that any day you 're going to be invaded." Many who attended the rally had ties to Ukraine, Russia or Georgia."Children were sent off, whoever was willing to send off their children and they placed on the blood markers to know what... what blood to give them if something happens," Mamedova said through tears. "No one understands why this is happening except the ambitions of President Putin."That is her reason for protesting, as well as her family members still in Ukraine, like her grandparents who are in their 90s."People there are very scared," she said. "There's no winners in war."
Drivers heading down Lebanon Road in Symmes Township and Loveland Friday afternoon saw dozens of protesters lining both sides of the road.
The group held Ukrainian flags and signs, of support for Ukraine and condemnation for Putin and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"We are strong. We are small," one man chanted. "By our heart, by our soul and the bravery, we're much stronger."
The group rallied in solidarity with Ukraine. The protest was organized by two women who lived in Ukraine and have family still there. Nazly Mamedova is one of them.
"I have family members who left about a week ago and then some family members weren't able to leave," she said. "They're sending us videos of people being bombed."
Mary Smethurst, a Loveland resident, joined the protest after seeing it live on WLWT.
"We are behind the people in Ukraine," she said.
"Ukraine means a lot to us. My daughter was in Ukraine as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years, so we got to go. We spent two weeks in 2006, and the people were just lovely," she said. "All these months that people have been talking about what's going to happen and you just feel like how could you live that, knowing that any day you 're going to be invaded."
Many who attended the rally had ties to Ukraine, Russia or Georgia.
"Children were sent off, whoever was willing to send off their children and they placed on the blood markers to know what... what blood to give them if something happens," Mamedova said through tears. "No one understands why this is happening except the ambitions of President Putin."
That is her reason for protesting, as well as her family members still in Ukraine, like her grandparents who are in their 90s.
"People there are very scared," she said. "There's no winners in war."
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