Lyudmila Makey, a Ukrainian journalist who has taken refuge in Kosovo, says she found many similarities between the two peoples, especially when it comes to hospitality.

Makey says the war in Ukraine brought unpredictable proportions although politicians, experts, analysts, and journalists warned it would happen.

Meanwhile, family ties between Russians and Ukrainians date back to the Soviet days. The Ukrainian reporter says that part of her family, as well as friends and relatives, live in Russia.

“Many years ago, during the Soviet Union, we used to say that we are all brothers. So how can a brother kill his own brother today? My grandfather died near Stalingrad during the war. Does this mean that the nephews of grandfather’s friends and brothers are killing us now?”, asked an emotional Makey.

She says to have spoken to Russians recently and they claim that Russia is only conducting a ‘special operation’ and that Ukrainians ho are bombing themselves.

The Ukrainian journalist believes that the Russian people understand the situation quite well, but choose to pretend as if they don’t amid fears of prosecution.

“The war affected not only my family but the families of all Ukrainians who have relatives in Russia because they still do trust Putin. They think Russia came to Ukraine to save us from the Nazis and imagine now that a majority of Ukrainians speak Russia. I say come here and see for yourself. Where are those Nazis? Where did you see Nazis when our very own president is Hebrew. Also half of the officers from Russia who came to attack us have family in Ukraine”, said Lyudmila Makey.