For the past few days, Nataliia Kasianenko watched on television and social media as Russian forces have bombarded residential areas in Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv — her hometown.

Kasianenko has been in constant communication with her family and friends while her parents hide in a shelter underground, next to their apartment complex.

“My hometown is now at the forefront of the fighting,” said Kasianenko, an assistant professor of political science at Fresno State. “Russian tanks are on the outskirts of town. People were told to shelter underground but it’s night time in February. Many underground shelters are cold and dirty, with no running water and electricity, and only standing room. My parents are staying at home for this reason. Everyone is scared and we do not know what the future will bring.”

Through the chaos, Kasianenko, an expert on Eastern Europe, has continued to teach classes in international politics and global political economy.

She grew up in the Ukrainian cities of Odesa and Kharkiv and never imagined such attacks and explosions would invade her home. “We knew about the troop build-up, but no one actually believed that this was going to happen,” Kasianenko said. “No one in their wildest, worst nightmares thought that Russia would actually engage in a full-on invasion.”

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