'Ukraine will prevail': Utahns rally to show support as war hits 1-year mark

A rally at the Utah Capitol building today marked one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. Hundreds of people attended, including Utah Ukrainians with flags, clothing, and other mementos from their home country. New specialist Alex Cabrera joins us live tonight. Alex, you were at that rally. You met one man who says he thinks about the war every day. Because he still has family over there, Debbie. He also says he has noticed the support for Ukraine start to fade a little bit here in the United States in the past year because of inflation and politics.

Just look at any news, website, message board about Ukraine. But he also says that's why he felt today's rally was so important. 365 days of dependent freedom. He has been here before. Almost too many times to count. Yeah, I totally understand what you're talking about. But Vladimir Yuchankov keeps showing up at these rallies because he feels he has to.

Yuchankov went to BYU, Idaho for college, lives in Bountiful now, but is from Ukraine and was part of another rally at the Utah Capitol building today. But this time to mark one year since Russia invaded. We are here to support our to support our troops, to support our people, to support the people who is every day going there for the front lines. His brother is one of those on the front lines. Just talk to him like when I was on the way here and he has another 24 hour shift tomorrow being on patrol. Your Chanko knows as well as any American freedom isn't free. We fighting for something that America's was fighting 300 years ago.

However, in the years since the war started, supporting Ukraine has become controversial in the U.S. There's some who say this isn't our fight. They're not Americans after all. You're so far away. Let Europe handle them or just leave them to the wolves. But I'm here to tell you that every single one of us has a reason to care and a moral obligation to help.

It's why your Chanko and many Ukrainians keep having these rallies. They want their soldiers back home to know there is still support for them. Trust me, they feel that they are there for our children to have those fun times, for our people have the opportunity to go to school, have the opportunity to go to work, to have the opportunity to improve themselves. And that's what they fight for. He hopes the same rally isn't held marking the two year anniversary, but he also says even if the war ended tomorrow, the scars from it all will last for generations. Dan and Debbie. All right, Alex, great story.

Thanks for that report.