‘Devastating’: Ukrainians in Hong Kong frantically messaging relatives back home after watching invasion in horror, while some Russians join anti-war protest in Central
- Ukrainian residents in Hong Kong talk of fears for families back home as Russian forces advance on the nation’s capital
- A member of the Russian community says many are shocked and frustrated, but admits others have supported the invasion
Ukrainians in Hong Kong reacted with shock and horror on Friday after watching the attack on their homeland and hearing desperate news from their families still living there, as some Russians in the city stood by them.
Restaurant owner and Ukrainian Olena Smith said she spent a sleepless night on Thursday frantically messaging her relatives back home.
“It is devastating,” said Smith, who has lived in Hong Kong for 17 years. “We were constantly on the phone, but the phone kept losing connection.”
Smith, like many others, was taken aback by the speed of the Russian invasion and did not expect the fighting to reach the capital, Kyiv. Now the Ukrainian army is locked in several fierce battles located close to the city, as the country was attacked from the east, north and south on Thursday.
Hong Kong is home to several hundred Ukrainians and about 995 Russians.