Ukraine

A scene from the Palanca-Maiaki-Udobnoe border crossing point, between the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine on March 15, 2022. People fled the military offensive in Ukraine, seeking refuge in Moldova or transiting the country on their way to Romania and other EU countries. (Courtesy of UN Women, Aurel Obreja, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/)

SD sees continued decline in refugee arrivals while Ukrainian sponsorships grow

BY: - April 19, 2023

South Dakota welcomed its lowest number of international refugees in recent memory last year, despite an increase in the number of refugees allowed in the U.S., according to a state report. But resettlement numbers are three times higher in the state when factoring in nontraditional programs, such as Ukrainian resettlements.  The president decides the maximum […]

Gov. Kristi Noem speaks to reporters March 6, 2023, at the Capitol in Pierre. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)

Noem calls Russian invasion of Ukraine ‘Europe’s fight, not ours’

BY: - March 14, 2023

Governor Kristi Noem, who’s viewed as a potential Republican presidential or vice presidential candidate, described America’s military aid to Ukraine as a costly strategic mistake. “It’s pushing Russia into an alliance with China — meaning Russia may soon draw from China’s large weapon arsenal,” Noem told Tucker Carlson of Fox News. Carlson posted Noem’s written […]

In this aerial view, a destroyed apartment building is seen next to an area of heavily damaged houses on April 21, 2022, in Borodianka, Ukraine. (Photo by Alexey Furman/Getty Images)

White House unveils $2B in weapons for Ukraine on one-year anniversary of Russian invasion

BY: - February 24, 2023

WASHINGTON — On the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration announced an additional $2 billion in weapons and a host of new sanctions targeting Russia’s key industries and government officials. The Friday announcement came on the heels of President Joe Biden’s historic and surprise visit to Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, where […]

A person from Ukraine holds a Ukrainian passport before being allowed to cross the San Ysidro Port of Entry into the United States to seek asylum on March 22, 2022, in Tijuana, Mexico. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Ukrainians by the thousands arrive in states, but with a time limit

BY: - January 20, 2023

WASHINGTON — As the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches next month, Ukrainians who were welcomed to the United States under a special program offering an escape from war are watching another timeline.  The temporary Uniting for Ukraine program, sometimes called U4U, offers a two-year stay in the U.S., given that individuals […]

The U.S. Capitol building is seen on Oct. 22, 2021, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Huge $1.7 trillion spending package passes in U.S. Senate, backed by both parties

BY: - December 22, 2022

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate passed a massive $1.7 trillion funding package Thursday that carries emergency aid for natural disaster recovery and the Ukrainian war effort, pushing past disputes over immigration policy and barely meeting a Friday deadline when current funding runs out. The bill, supported by both Democrats and Republicans, now goes to the […]

U.S. President Joe Biden, right, welcomes President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House on Dec. 21, 2022, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Zelenskyy pledges a fight for ‘common victory’ against Russian tyranny in visit to U.S.

BY: - December 21, 2022

UPDATED 10:20 p.m. Central, 12/21/22 WASHINGTON — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy evoked images of the “great American soldiers” of World War II as he appealed to Congress Wednesday night to continue U.S. assistance in defending Ukraine from deadly Russian shelling and targeting of civilian infrastructure. The historic and surprise visit to the United States by the […]

COMMENTARY
In this aerial view, a destroyed apartment building is seen next to an area of heavily damaged houses on April 21, 2022, in Borodianka, Ukraine. (Photo by Alexey Furman/Getty Images)

Refugees, immigrants to South Dakota need our compassion

BY: - November 17, 2022

During the past two months, I have emceed three benefit concerts to raise awareness of a statewide effort to bring 5,000 to 10,000 Ukrainian war refugees to our state. The concerts in Watertown, Rapid City and Sioux Falls raised about $50,000 to support a fund that will help defray expenses for those who sponsor refugees. […]