Now in Monterey, Ukrainian student worries for friends and family back home

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION - TV) - It's been weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine and the ongoing conflict has some worried for their family back home.

Valeriia Hesse is from Odesa, which is about 280 miles from Kyiv.

She came to Monterey as a research fellow.

“I came here about five days before I learned that the whole war started,” said Hesse. “Honestly, till the last moment, no one in their worst dream could have imagined the attack would happen.”

When Hesse heard about the attack, she immediately tried calling her mom.

Her mother fled to Moldova to be with Valeriia's husband and her dad stayed behind to house some family members in their basement.

Hesse checks in on her family every day.

“I try to be in contact with them as much as they can, especially for good reason,” said Hesse. “To be honest, I don't know what's going to happen in the next few days or if I'm ever going to see them again.”

For Hesse, coming to study at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation has been a long time goal for her, but it’s been difficult with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. 

“It has been my dream for probably 10 years to come here and do research under the supervision or in collaboration with the center's experts,” said Hesse. “When I finally got here, five days in, the war started. Obviously, your mind just goes, boom. You cannot think about anything.”

But Hesse wants to share her story.

“One of the most important things is for people to understand that what is happening is real. It is serious,” said Hesse. “People are dying. Ukraine is now fighting to prevent the third World War.”