♪♪ Scott: The savagery, violence, and horror that Vladimir Putin and his armies have perpetrated against the Ukrainian people have outraged the world.

But amongst the tragedy, examples of individual and group heroism have inspired us and made many ask, "“Would we be so brave if similarly attacked?

"” Joining us from the war'’s frontlines is Sacramentan Gianni Ballack.

Gianni, what can you tell us about what's going on at this moment that the news cannot capture in their reports or in their pictures?

Gianni: Um, thank you, Scott.

Um, thank you for having me.

Uh, it... it is indeed a savagery horror that's going on.

Um, what, obviously, the... the... the news cannot capture is, um, you know, what is going on in the cities of Mariupol, Kherson, um, Sumy, uh, uh, uh, Donetsk, these cities that are under siege that, uh- A lot of people are dying.

Uh, uh, buildings have been toppled.

You know, civilians are, um, uh, are caught in... in... in this savagery.

So, uh, logistics is, uh, very difficult.

Getting aid and help to these people is almost impossible.

Um, and, uh... the Russians are just, as you, um, you know, described them, savagery- uh, uh, savagely are attacking all these civilians.

And, um, it... it... it is hard to get to them.

So, that's, uh- It... it... it is not obvious to the, uh, to the world eye.

So, certain- Scott: For... forgive... forgive the over-simplistic question, but how are you and others keeping safe, or is that even a wrong question to ask?

Gianni: Um, well, I'm in Kyiv, so I'm...

I'm in the capital right now.

Um, uh, the capital has been relatively, um, quiet for the past few days.

So, the... the, uh, last siren we had, it was two days ago, but three days ago, we had rockets, um, flying over our heads here.

So, um, the Russian focus is, right now, shifting towards... towards the, uh, the East, especially towards Mariupol, Kherson, Kharkiv, and... and, uh, Sumy, those cities who- that are closer to the Russian border.

So, um, and they're doing that because they gave up on... on Kyiv and, uh, you know, um- Scott: You say they gave up.

Tell... tell us a bit more about that.

Gianni: Um, yeah.

Well, they, um, they faced, um, uh, fierce, um, opposition, here, and... and heroism of the Ukrainians that, you know, fought for of every inch of... of the city, of their... of their land.

Um, the Russians got defeated here, uh, by, um, by land and by manpower.

So, uh, the only option that they have is just shooting rockets over our heads in Kyiv and- or through the... through the sky.

So... Scott: It... it... it begs the question, Gianni, what is it that is keeping you and your colleagues going, through all of this?

Because it seems like such insurmountable odds.

Gianni: Well, um, you know, I've been...

I've been living here for, um, five, six years now.

So, I sort of consider it my second home.

So, I have my livelihood going here and my, uh, my businesses, my friends.

Uh, uh, uh, I...

I have been a professor at the university for several years now.

So, I have students.

Uh, you know, I, um, I consider it home.

So, I try to use my connections, my capabilities, my abilities to... to help, um, uh, the Ukrainians in this, uh, uh, in this hard times.

Um, and, um, every phone call I make, every message I send, every, uh, uh, every contact I bring into this country, it's helpful.

So- Scott: You don't have to be there.

Tell us, why are you there?

Gianni: Um, no, I don't- I...

I don't have to be here.

Um, obviously, I...

I could be in Sacramento right now enjoying the... the nice weather, but, uh, you know, um, fighting is always not carrying a gun and... and shooting at, um, your enemies.

Um, this enemy is not just, um, Ukraine's enemy.

It... it... it is a global enemy that, uh, that is evil, that tries to, um, you know, um, take democra... democracies under.

So, uh, we have a common goal.

We... we, uh- You know, we look for peace and we help people around the world to obtain peace.

Uh, and Ukrainians are just fighting for their land, for... for their freedom, for the democracies that they believe in.

So, uh, you know, that makes me, uh, want to stay here more and more, uh, and... and, as I said, every contact I can use, every help I can bring in, um, every favor I can...

I can ask from you or from the American people or from my friends, um, around the world, I'm here to do that to... to help the Ukrainians.

Scott: I'm struck by what you said- "“Fighting's not always with a gun.

"” So... so, tell us more about how you're fighting, and the people you work with are fighting and playing your role in trying to combat this Russian onslaught.

Gianni: Uh, well, throughout- through... throughout this, um, savage war, and especially, uh, the... the first few days, panic hit this city and millions of people left simultaneously.

So, um, you know, sadness sort of, uh, covered over the city and, um- Suddenly, stores, mar- uh, supermarkets, restaurants, everything got closed.

People did not know where to bring- um, where... where to... where to do shopping, where to buy food, where to go eat.

And so, you know, children and women left.

And so, men stayed over.

And I have, um, one of Kyiv's top ten, um, restaurants, which... which is an American restaurant, uh, that serves, uh, American cuisine, steaks and... and barbecue and et cetera.

So, one of the things that we did, we, uh, we opened our doors and we fed, um, those who were in need, who stayed, uh, behind, and, uh, the armed forces, the police, the, uh, uh, local territorial defense, um, guys, um, so, uh, shelters, uh, elderly homes, et cetera.

Um, whatever we had, we gave away.

And then, um, you know, uh, we started looking for donations so we can also prepare meals and... and feed the... the ones who, uh, left behind.

Then, I, uh, started an initiative, uh, for, uh, for Ukraine through my, uh, tech company, my e-commerce company, to bring in help to Ukraine and, uh, set up a fast, uh, and, uh, uh, so... sort of, uh, robust, uh, logistics platform to, um, bring aid and distribute it throughout the country.

Uh, it... it was a nightmare, again, because of the panic, because of the barricades, because of, um, you know, the shelling, the rockets, and all that.

It... it... it was very hard to bring people in and out or, uh, evacuate people, evacuate animals, um, you know, and bring them aid, give them clean water, bring '‘em food, et cetera.

So, we- I managed with my team, uh, friends from England and America who were, uh, uh, very, uh, generous to help us, uh- also from Europe- and... and, uh, that's what kept me going.

Um, you know, it was a sense of responsibility and that's all.

Scott: Well, you say it kept you going.

Have there been any wins along the way that have heartened you and the team you're working with to feel like you're really making a difference?

Gianni: Oh, absolutely.

I mean, um- Scott: Give us an example.

Gianni: You know, when... when the Russians were surrounding, uh, Kyiv, from Bucha to Irpin to Ivankiv to Borodyanka, these are the symbols of, um, um, of defiance here, uh, in around... in around Kiev.

10, 15 miles around the city, um, Russians were bombarding and killing and looting and... and, um, doing horrible things.

So, we tried constantly, um, to bring in aid, logistics, um, help, and we saw horrible things.

We saw bodies on the ground.

We saw- Um, you know, we fell in... into ambushes, et cetera, uh, but it... it... it never scared... never scared me, never scared us.

Um, you know, I come from, um, a, uh- My background is- I'’m...

I'’m...

I'm Kurdish American.

So, you know, I lived through the Saddam, um, uh, era and Iran-Iraq war.

So, I grew up with rockets falling, um, in our neighborhoods when I was a kid, before moving to, uh, uh, to the U.S. and being a Sacramentan.

So, I'd seen that I could adapt with the... with the situation, um, easily.

Um, and thanks God.

I mean, you know, of the last week or ten days, uh, the cities got cleared out again and, uh, we were able to, again, with partners globally and on the ground, to bring in more aid and help, uh, the people that left behind.

Scott: You talk about your partners on the ground.

Are you working in... in collaboration with the government?

Do you have any contact with the government at all?

Gianni: Um, uh, I do have collaboration with the Ukrainian government, uh, and... and, uh, this is, uh, solely just on... on personal relationship.

I don't have any, uh, nonprofit organization or a, um, or... or any kind of organization- Scott: Who are you working with in the Ukrainian government?

Gianni: You know, uh, uh, well, we're working with the president's office.

We are working with the, uh, Defense Ministry, with the Interior Ministry.

Uh, again, we, uh- You know, I provide them with a lot of assistance, advice, um, you know, uh, medical, uh, supplies, whatever we can get from... from, again, my... my relationships throughout the world to, you know, to bring it to them directly to support the Ukrainian, uh, government.

Uh, as you know, um, the entire government turned into a, uh, military administration.

So, all the civilian administrations, civil administrations turned into military.

So, municipalities, uh, um, you know, civil institutions have turned into, uh, military and martial, uh, uh, martial, uh, institutions.

So, areas where we... we'’re not able to get to for- to the civilians, we reach out to the military.

They... aid us and help us to get to, uh, to the civilians, because there are areas that we, as civilians, we cannot get... get to.

We get shot at and... and so, it's very unsecure.

Um, we use every kind of means to get to, um, Mykolaiv, Kherson, uh, Mariupol, these areas where there is no food, there's no water, there's no electricity.

Scott: With all of that going on, Gianni, what is the mood and the morale of the people you're encountering daily right now?

Gianni: Um, Ukrainians are really, um, amazing people.

The... the... the... morale and the mood is obviously high.

Um, people are in... in disbelief, in... in awe, in shock.

They... they couldn't... they couldn't imagine that this could have happened to... to Ukraine, even though they have been in war since 2014.

I mean, the country is been in war.

In the Donetsk and Donbas, um, uh, regions, war has been going on, but people never thought it will reach the heart of the Ukraine.

So, when it happened, panic happened.

People got shocked.

A lot of people left.

Around 6 million women and children have crossed the border, uh, to, uh, the neighboring countries, uh, from Romania to Slovakia to, uh, Poland and others.

Uh, but we see that people are coming back now.

A lot of people are coming back.

Men practically didn't leave the country.

They all, uh, stayed put to fight for the freedom and the land.

Uh, but even, uh, women are- Right now, a lot of families are trying to come back to support their husbands and their loved ones, to... to stay next to them.

So, that keeps the morale, of course.

Uh, the morale is high because the Ukrainians are appreciative and thankful to what the American government and the American, uh, people are doing, as well as the Europeans.

Everybody's understood that, um, Ukrainians are, um, an extraordinary nation, uh, and they're getting- they're feeding off of... off of your support, obviously.

Scott: Well, the- As I said when we first, uh, started this conversation, the efforts of the Ukrainian people have been inspiring to many and- But as much help as you've received, what are you hearing about the prospects for more support from not only the U.S. but the rest of the world?

Because it, uh, it sounds like that you all need a lot.

Gianni: Yes.

Uh, thank you for this question.

It's... it'’s... it'’s an essential and very important, um, um, factor here.

Uh, yes.

We're thankful.

The Ukrainian people are thankful for the support and the aid and the... and the fundraising and... and the weaponry and... and all that.

But not all of it is coming to the country.

Uh, yes, a lot of promises have been made, uh, on government level, on, uh, organizational level, on the civilian level.

But, um, as you know, there's a bureaucracy, uh, behind all of this stuff.

So, um, you know, raising funds in the U.S. and trying to get to... to Ukraine, it doesn't happen within 24 hours, or a week, or ten days.

Uh, the war is, uh, we'’re, today, 50- in the 56th day of the war.

Um, there have been multibillion dollar promises.

But, you know, we've probably have, you know, received a fraction, maybe in- under one or two or 3%, uh, uh, because there is, uh, regulations.

You know, when the government, uh, decides to send aid to Ukraine, um, it takes time for it to be processed, to be legalized, to be legislated, et cetera.

And it's the same thing with the civilian.

So, as President Zelensky has said and... and the entire Ukrainian government, we need aid today.

We don't want it tomorrow.

By tomorrow, we'’ll die.

So, today, we need it to be able to... to survive today.

So, my, uh, you know, uh, ask from... from the American people is, please, if you're trying to help Ukrainians, try to do it in a way where it is effective, it gets to them today.

Um, uh, send us- Scott: Tell us how... tell us how to do that, Gianni.

How do we do that?

Gianni: Okay.

So, there's three categories of, um, of... of Ukrainians today.

We have refugees that are, um, uh, you know, over the borders of Ukraine, living in very bad conditions in Poland, Romania, um, all these countries.

Uh, they're living in... in refugee camps.

So, these people have left without... without, you know, everything.

They don't have anything.

So, they're... they'’re... they're waiting.

They're, um, trying to get help until situation gets, um, normalized.

And then, you have a group of people that are IDP, internally displaced people, in- within Ukraine.

So, refugees within Ukraine, um, from the E- from the Western part of Ukraine, um, uh, to the East- uh, from the Eastern part of Ukraine, going to the, uh, European country borders.

And there are IDPs there and these people have, also, nothing.

Um, they need, uh, housing.

They need food.

They need, uh, pocket money.

They need all this stuff.

Um, about three and a half million children have left Ukraine, uh, close to 4 million.

So, um, um, sending toys and, uh, kid'’s clothes or... or Pampers and diapers is not necessary because there are no kids left in Ukraine.

So, send, perhaps, some sort of aid that is going to be helping, uh, the ones that are stayed inland.

For... for example, in, uh, in... in Mykolaiv, today, there is no water.

People have no water to drink water.

So, with, uh, partners from the U.S., we have secured water filters and I've been distributing water filters throughout these regions for people to drink, you know, safe, clean water.

Um, these are the kind of aid... Scott: Well, what's the third category?

Gianni: The... the third category, again, it... it is- So, we have the refugees that are, um, across the border.

We have IDPs who are, uh, within the country.

And then, we have, um, Ukrainians like, um, like me in... in... in the capital city or, um, or in the cities that are being sieged and- Scott: And... and what do you need?

What do you need?

Gianni: Well, um, again, so- And then, you also have the government.

So, the government "“need"” means to fight.

The civilians need, um, uh- They... they need funds.

They need cash, so that they can really do it here, buy groceries here, get gas, uh, you know, uh, take care of their daily, um, uh, daily needs.

Um, maybe in certain areas, certain pockets, um, there are small businesses that need funds so they can re- operate the economy.

Um... Scott: Okay.

Okay, uh, that... that is helpful in giving all of us direction here, back in the States.

I want to ask you though, what does success look like for you all, uh, ultimately?

Ultimately, is it going to be more than just a defensive stance against the Russian?

Is there any possibility that you all will go on the offensive past your borders, into Russian territory?

Gianni: No.

Scott: To push them even further back?

Gianni: No, no.

This is not the aspiration of the Ukrainian people.

Nor it is the aspiration of the Ukrainian government.

The position is very clear.

Ukrainians are just defending their land, and defending their democracy, and defending their children and women and... and their civilians.

That is- Scott: Then... then what does success ultimately- How... how do you and your colleagues define this ending successfully for the Ukrainian people?

Gianni: So, um, the whole world knows that Ukrainians, morally and, uh, physically, have defeated the Russians, so far.

Uh, the Russians, um, um, uh- You know, everybody were afraid of the Russians, the Ukrainians, the Europeans, even the Americans.

They all thought the... the Russian military is more capable of... of... of what we saw.

But, um, we also saw that- the... the, you know, the defeat on the ground that they have faced.

So, um, so, to answer your question, success is peace.

If the war stops today and there is no more shelling, no more killing, no more, um, wound... wounding, no more destroying, um, uh, buildings, homes, gardens, schools, et cetera, that's already a success.

Uh, again- Scott: But the... but the Ukrainian people are left with cleaning up the aftermath.

Gianni: Certainly.

Scott: How do you make that right?

Gianni: So... so cleaning up the aftermath, um, obviously, again, with the help of the United States, with NATO, with the Europeans, with all kinds of funds that are coming, um, funneling in or... or being allocated for the reconstruction process of Ukraine, um, there are private sector, uh, um, people that are getting ready for the reconstruction of the country.

But this is at a later stage.

For now, the most important, um, um, factor is for... for peace to prevail, for war to stop, for kids to go back to school and people to... to have a normal live'’s life again.

Scott: Yeah.

Gianni, let... let me ask you, in our closing moments, what is at stake that you can share with us from your perspective, that if Ukraine falls, what's at stake for the rest of the world?

Gianni: Um, freedom is at stake.

Freedom and, um, democracy, uh, is at stake, because if Ukraine fails, um, everything will be "“Soviet-nized.

"” Every... everything will be "“Russianized,"” um, and... and that's not what... what we, at this era, at this time, uh- We don't need that, because they... they are savage- You know, they- I don't want to generalize, but, um, this... this regime is a savage regime, is not a democratic regime.

It is oppressive.

It... it- You know, there's- We... we can't survive that.

We... we shouldn't allow that ever.

So, uh, should Ukraine fall, Europe will fall.

If Europe falls, then, um, you know, where are the, uh, uh, you know, the... the... the democratic values and... and the... and the morals, and, uh, all these revolutions and evolutions that have been going on throughout centuries in Europe.

And so, what happens to that?

Scott: And I...

I think that we're going to have to leave it there.

On... on behalf of all of us, we wish you well, we wish you safety, and we wish you success.

Gianni: Thank you, sir.

Scott: And that's our show.

Thanks to our guest and thank you for watching Studio Sacramento.

I'm Scott Syphax.

See you next time right here on KVIE.

♪♪ ♪♪ Scott Syphax: All episodes of Studio Sacramento, along with other KVIE programs, are available to watch online at kvie.org/video.