NYC marks one year anniversary of Russian invasion of Ukraine

we have a lot of people coming to the show. It's great to see you. There are several events today showing strong support for Ukraine, including a special concert at the Met Opera Fox lives. Ashley Rodriguez joins us live from Lincoln Center where that performance is expected to begin in a few hours. Ashley. Yeah, I think for a lot of us when we watch our TV screens and we see the war in Ukraine, we see the violence, we hear about the stories of struggle. We feel helpless.

But even if we're not, we're not going to be able to see the world. We're not going to be able to see the world culture alive. Like protective mothers with arms outstretched. These mountain cars created by artist Olga Rondack provide a circle of healing inside the Ukrainian Institute of America a year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The lives that are lost. We hope to commemorate them and give them full meaning and purpose as the Russian people in the region. The Russian people are now in the US fleeing the Soviets.

They were terrified of the Soviet Union Russifying Ukraine and trying to get rid of our Ukrainian identity, which we see is happening again. Keeping the Ukrainian identity and culture strong has been a goal of the metropolitan opera since the start of the war last February since Russia values culture so much that it's not a goal of saying that he wants to destroy not only Ukraine but eliminate its cultural legacy that great cultural institutions needed to rise to its defense. Friday Ukrainian soloist Dmitry Popov will perform a special concert attended by the Ukrainian ambassador beginning with a special message from the first lady of Ukraine, Olina Zalinska and it will be broadcast on the radio for the people in Ukraine. We are also joined by the cultural might of a man. This Motinka installation is meant to be a healing installation at the Ukrainian Institute of America's Open House Friday. Roniac shares her country's folklore and her art. The Motinka's protectresses of the Ukrainian people who know this war is far from over.

We realize there isn't any time to cry or be depressed because it doesn't help us. So we stand up for the Ukrainian people. We are also joined by the Ukrainian ambassador to the Ukrainian community. And you're encouraged to also celebrate Ukrainian culture tonight or you can even donate to relief funds outside Lincoln Center Ashley Rodriguez, Fox.

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