Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
By the second day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Middletown Township resident Andriy Penchak knew he had to go.
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Penchak said he is prepared to lay down his life for his native Ukraine, but he worries about his wife, Yuliya, and three elementary school-aged kids.
“The war has to be ended,” Penchak said.
“I’m not afraid to die,” he added. “I’m afraid to leave my kids alone.”
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Penchak, his father-in-law, and another man will head in the coming days from the comfort of the U.S. to Europe, with a plan to make it to Ukraine.
Speaking to LevittownNow.com Friday, Penchak said he is ready to help with humanitarian work and also to take up arms with Ukrainian government forces that are seeking natives of the country who wish to defend it.
Penchak doesn’t have military training, but he is familiar with firearms.
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Falls Township police donated a bulletproof vest and ballistic helmet to Penchak for him to take to the war zone.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
Lt. Hank Ward explained the level of protection the helmet offered as Penchak received the equipment at an event where the police department donated gear to help Ukraine.
Chief Nelson Whitney commended the bravery of men like Penchak.
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Penchak’s flight to Europe is being covered by donors and his family will be living off their savings while he is away.
The Middletown Township man said his wife has been supportive of his journey and understands why he needs to go to their homeland.
People associated with flights from America to Ukraine said Penchak and others like him are being flown daily to help Ukraine amid the invasion.
Credit: Міністерство оборони України
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Penchak, an immigrant from Ukraine who last visited in 2021, was on vacation in Puerto Rico when the war broke out. He immediately headed back to Bucks County to aid in local efforts and began planning his trip to Ukraine.
NBC News reported Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said 16,000 foreigners have joined the county’s new International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine, which is tasked with fighting Russian forces.
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