Aleksey Kozlov immigrated to the United States from Ukraine when he was 10 years old. Today, he has a thriving dental practice in the East Mountains. But he isn’t far from the conflict caused by Russia’s invasion of his homeland. “I’m a Chernobyl baby, post-Soviet era,” Kozlov said to KRQE. “Immigrated in ’97 to California as a religious refugee.”

Years later, Kozlov reconnected with and eventually married a former childhood friend from Ukraine named Anna. A quarter of a century later, both have many family members and friends still in Ukraine, trying to survive the Russian invasion.

They have tried to stay connected through social media and watched as his home village was destroyed by Russian missiles, according to KRQE. Kozlow said his uncle was killed on March 4 when Russians attacked the family’s home in the city of Zaporizhzhia, launching a rocket that destroyed their house, KOB 4 said. 

“It’s unthinkable that we are experiencing tragedy like this in the 21st century,” Kozlov told KRQE. “My village had no military bases, had no government locations, strategic buildings. It was a place of worship for many.”

Even 6,000 miles away, Kozlov said the impact of the war is just as profound here in New Mexico. “For the last two weeks, it’s been difficult where I have had these feelings of like, ‘okay, do I deploy to Ukraine to help out my brethren?'” Kozlov said. 

He hopes his good deeds here will give his family and friends favor in Ukraine. “That’s my kind of vow to my patients in the East Mountains – that I’ll take care of them,” Kozlov said to KRQE. “And by them coming here, they will take care of my people back in Ukraine.”

Kozlov is raising funds to help churches in Ukraine that provide emergency aid and shelter for people who are displaced.