The end of August marks six months since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Ukraine. In those six months the entire world has been affected either economically, socially or politically, including West Michigan. Local experts and a Michigander on the front lines reflect on the past half-year as the fighting shows no signs of slowing down.
Michigan is roughly 5,000 miles away from Ukraine, but the effects of the war are reaching near and far.
“It has really slowed down the overall economy across the world," Grand Valley State University Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs in the Seidman College of Business Dr. Paul Isely said.
Sanctions on Russia have affected fuel costs, grain exports, affecting the cost of food and just about everything else.
“Inflation is about two percentage points higher than it would have been if the Ukraine hadn't happened," Dr. Isley said.
Aside from the economic impacts, the international political effects are vast. NATO countries have rallied in ways Russia was not expecting.
“This kind of unity in NATO one hasn't seen in a lot of ways since the attacks on September 11," Grand Valley State University Associate Professor of Political Science Heather Tafel said.
Then there are the stories of resilience and bravery, like the story of Borys Potapenko. He's part of the Ukrainian American Crisis Response Committee, is active within the Michigan-Ukrainian community and lives in metro-Detroit. But he hasn't been in Michigan for months. Potapenko has been on the front lines, aiding friends and family that he still has in Ukraine.
He joined us for a video call in a facility in Mykolaiv with a wounded sniper— a woman he personally knows who was injured fighting on the front lines.
“It's really difficult to keep the emotion out of what I've seen. The devastation and the human costs," he said.
Potapenko says the shelling hasn't eased up over the last months.
“The atrocities against civilians, against children, against the elderly are not receding," Potapenko said.
The conflict shows no signs of slowing down. No one can predict an end date as no one side is backing down.
“From the point of view of Ukrainians, it's their position that we will get Russia out, that's our end game. That makes any kind of negotiated settlement obviously very, very difficult," Tafel said.
Overseas, Borys and the wounded sniper, who wished to stay anonymous during our call, want to thank the U.S. for their local and national efforts to help Ukraine.
“Mom and pop shops and big store chains have all been helping out," Potapenko said.
“I want to thank the Ukraine, the American people for their support," the sniper added through Potapenko who translated from Ukrainian to English. "Their support is tangible. It's making a huge difference.”
There is good humanitarian news however. A month ago The Grain Deal agreement was reached. The deal involves Turkey, the United Nations and Russia, who agreed to unblock Ukrainian ports, finally allowing the export of grain.
Ukraine is one of the world's largest producers of grain and this should bring down global grain and wheat prices and other food costs.
"A large chunk of the tradable grains in the world were produced in the Ukraine. Up until just recently, they were struggling to find ways to get that grain out of the country," Dr. Isley added.
