MILWAUKEE, (CBS 58) – Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson, showing his support for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, visited Mass at St Michaels Ukrainian Catholic Church on Sunday morning, answering questions from members of the congregation and more .
We continue to learn more about the damage to Milwaukee’s sister city, Irpin. As an Irpin sister city program official, there was also Sunday.
“One day people wake up ready for their daily lives, and they wake up to the bombings,” said Irpin Sister City program affiliate Boris Nayflish.
He said the city is in ruins at the moment, infrastructure, water and supplies are all destroyed as they face a 40 mile convoy of Russian troops.
According to our information, eight people were killed there.
“From this day on, nothing will be the same,” Nayflish said.
Acting Mayor Johnson spoke to Irpin Mayor Alexander Markushin on Friday as the city continued to be bombarded.
On Sunday, church members said a refugee family had already arrived in Milwaukee. Johnson spoke about their plans to support these people.
“I’m here today because I want to assure you and your community that Milwaukee welcomes immigrants and refugees alike,” Acting Mayor Johnson said. “Like so many others, I want to show my alignment with you.”
Nayflish said he was happy to hear the support for Irpin and Ukraine as a whole.
“I’m really grateful to the mayor for giving his support, for extending his friendship,” Nayflish said.
He said he also hoped more could be done, especially for our sister city.
“I am reaching out to the City of Milwaukee to immediately establish a recovery fund for the City of Irpin,” Nayflish said.
He said he hopes the creation of such a fund could strengthen the bond between Milwaukee and Irpin.
Cavalier Johnson says that’s something the city can consider.
“I don’t have a definitive answer to that right now,” Johnson said when asked if it was something that could be done. “But we will definitely look into it.”