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Cleveland minister remembers Peace Corps time in Ukraine

While the city Rev. Harlen Rife lived in hasn't been invaded, many of the residents commute to towns that have faced severe damage.

BROOKLYN, Ohio — A pastor from a church in Old Brooklyn is watching the Ukraine news closely, hoping the town he lived in for more than two years escapes harm.

"You know, Russia's claiming they're not attacking widespread population centers but with just the widespread damage, it doesn't feel like it's possible this is accidental," says Reverend Harlen Rife with Pearl Road United Methodist Church.

Right now, Rife's phone is filled with pictures of damage to apartment buildings across Ukraine and messages from long-time friends saying they're safe for now in the Northern country town of Krolevets.

But it doesn't mean they haven't seen the invasion.

"My town where Madeline (Rife's wife) and I served was along the Kiev-Moscow highway, so when the Russians advanced, it went right up that road," Rife said.

Close access to the major highway means many of the people living in the town of 20,000 travel for work to cities that have been hit, like Sumy and Kiev.

"I've seen busloads of people coming back from Sumy where there's been heavy shelling and fighting, and I've also seen friends who were unable to get back. I have some teacher friends who are in Kiev and they've said through almost the continuous air raids and actually Russians firing on fleeing civilians, they've been unable to leave," Rife adds.

For those still in Krolevets, he says it hasn't been without some struggle, as they work to ration resources as the invasion continues... with no sign of slowing down.

"The local dairy is doing free milk, the local flour mill is doing free bread, the leaders of the local town council have really stepped up in providing information," Rife explains. "The pharmacies, one of my former students there said the pharmacies don't have any bandages anymore so they're sharing what they have in their homes to make it through these difficult times."

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