Living through and emerging from the wreckage and pain of war requires uncommon resilience, devotion to community and homeland, and in this case, a community of friends and teammates beyond borders. For citizens of Novovorontsovka County located in the Kherson region in southern Ukraine, the fight for survival continues with people on the military front and on the community front, keeping Ukrainian Society, and the nation, functional.
The Russo-Ukrainian war that began in February 2014 is ongoing as Ukraine battles against continued Russian aggression. Ukraine citizens, through the 2013 Revolution of Dignity, demonstrated a collective desire to integrate with Europe and establish democracy during protests to the government’s increased ties with Russia. When the Ukrainian government subsequently crumbled, Russia launched an offensive to annex Crimea from Ukraine and immediately established support to separatist armed
groups which then attacked the eastern Donbas region, forcing Ukraine’s military into defensive action.
As of December 2025, Russia occupies approximately 20 percent of Ukraine, which equates to 45,700 square miles and an estimated 3.5 million Ukrainians living under occupation. According to Google, since the full-scale invasion in 2022, the occupied territories have lost approximately half of their population to the horrors of war.
Novovorontsovka County, consisting of 10 villages, is a primarily agrarian settlement famous for producing watermelons. Though fully liberated in October 2022, after being occupied for seven months by Russian Armed Forces, the residents continue to face the realities of war as a frontline community. With Russian forces occupying areas only five miles from their home, they continue to actively pursue recovery and strategic development of their community.
Some of the most urgent challenges faced by the people of Novovorontsovka County include daily attacks by Russian drones that explode on impact, destroying community infrastructure such as schools and government facilities, as well as fuel stations and vehicles. Most tragically, they have taken the lives of countless civilians.
Additional challenges include Russian destruction of the Kakhovska Dam on June 6, 2023, which triggered an immediate water crisis in the southern regions that relied on the dam and reservoir for water. The region has faced continual destruction of critical infrastructure, including systems that provide electrical power and food to homes. In response, citizens have worked to provide food, restore wells, install solar panels and create a system that turns war-torn trees and vegetation into kindling and firewood
for homes without heat.
Though this war rages thousands of miles away from Western Wyoming, people who are there with boots on the ground have neighborly ties and share common strengths with Star Valley. As an agricultural community with mining operations in the region, the Novovorontsovka County can learn from friends here.
Margret Ellwanger, a resident of Star Valley and founder and CEO of the international charity forPEACE, has arranged for a delegation of leaders from Novovorontsovka County to visit Star Valley. The delegates hope to establish ties of friendship and learn of this community’s unique characteristics of unity, genuine concern for one another, and continued support for those in need.
Novovorontsovka County’s Mayor, Andriy Seletskiy, wants to know “what creates unity amongst our citizens, what makes us work together, and how we create common goals,” said Margret. Seletskiy “has questions about the formation of community culture, a community mindset based on shared values and identity that helps everyone see goals for a collective future.”
Seletskiy seeks counsel and connection with Star Vally and other communities in the United States that can provide innovative and creative thinking to foster economic and moral growth. “How do people and institutions collaborate and support each other? It’s my duty to answer this question. Right now, we are defending our nation, but that’s not the same as nation-building, and I need to do both.”
“We are on the frontline, but we need more than just material support,” said Seletskiy. “We also need intellectual inspiration. All of the residents of my community see the United States as a bastion of democracy, and the United States is a leader in global development. When we learn to think correctly and have the right vision, we will become great neighbors for you. You will come to visit us. We will come to visit you. You will visit us for watermelons. We will visit you for educational trips. I believe it will be a
wonderful friendship.”
Margret is certain that “we could become great friends and neighbors. They are eager to offer friendship, seek opportunities to learn from us and partner with us in any way they can,” said Margret. In her financial and intellectual support of communities in Ukraine, offered through forPEACE, Margret knows that the answers are found in human connection, and so she intends to introduce her Ukrainian friends to her Star Valley friends.
Star Valley is invited to make and foster this unique connection. Please join Margret and Dan and Kim Dockstader as they welcome a delegation of community leaders from Novovorontsovka County for a one-hour presentation about the region’s experiences and current battles on Friday, February 14 at 5 p.m. in the Afton Civic Center.
Hosts of the event are Margret, as well as Britta Ellwanger, who serves as the Ukraniane Relief Project Director with forPEACE, based in Krivyi Rih, Ukraine. Additional hosts include Josh Chandler who is the West Jordan City Attorney facilitating Ukraine-Utah municipality relations and Star Valley locals Dan and Kim Dockstader.
According to communications from the delegation, these Ukrainian guests are “a living testimony of how Ukraine has successfully resisted a nuclear military superpower for four years and a witness of who and what Ukrainians are fighting to save.”
