ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — Dozens gathered last month at a local Ukrainian Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, to watch the premiere of People of
Steel, a film produced and filmed by Serhiy Fomenko, the frontman of the Ukrainian band Mandry.
The movie (watch trailer) is narrated in English and chronicles the Russian invasion, which started in 2014 when Russia annexed theCrimean Peninsula. Russia launched a full-blown assault on Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
"I was on the front line, I need to make any support for our soldiers. For the global audience, and for Americans (it is) very important for me that the people need understanding what happened in Ukraine and true information," Fomenko said.
"Do you hope Americans will believe your movie? There's so much Russian disinformation," ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska asked.
"Yes, I understand. And for me, very important to make film without any manipulation. This is the just true facts. And for me, very important that the American people understanding why we're fighting," Fomenko said. "We don't begin this war. Russia begin this war and killed the (innocent) people.
Watch full report from Michael Paluska
Iryna Karavan, President of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America Branch 124, helped organize the event.
"Why is it so important for you to have people see this movie?" Paluska asked.
"We would like world to see what was there. To see the truth how our Ukrainian people fighting and I believe they will be fighting till the end for our freedom," Karavan said. "We are not getting used to it. It's just one day hardened them, you know another and then you just, you just wake up and you just think about this. You have to do something. You have to do something to help them. That's why we have this events here. That's why I'm doing everything possible to help organize only charity events to help Ukraine fight."
Karavan and Fomenko said the focus needs to be more on the people of Ukraine, not the politics. But, they are hopeful for peace.
"Maybe President Trump and the new administration don't understand what Vladimir Putin is. Vladimir Putin is not a good guy for anybody. They hate United States of America. They hate every country because, I don't know why, really, because they don't have any reasons to begin this war," Fomenko said. "So I want to ask the people of the free world to understand it and help us to do a win, and after the win, we need to get peace."
“I think, like more people feel compelled to say something now if they hadn’t been before.”
Animal lovers have ramped up their advocacy after being angered by an ABC Action News report about a Polk County shelter falling short of expectations.
