Demonstrators protest outside Russian Embassy in Washington after Russia invades Ukraine
Demonstrators gathered outside the Russian Embassy early Thursday, shortly after news broke that Russian had launched its expected invasion of Ukraine, CBS Washington, D.C. affiliate WUSA-TV reports.
They showed up at about 1 a.m.
A small group was seen outside the building holding Ukrainian flags.
They told WUSA they'd rushed to the embassy to try to get more information about the invasion and to support each other.
Many were from Ukraine and still have family members there. Some were teary-eyed.
They expressed fear, worry and uncertainty about the fate of those family members and of Ukraine itself.
One man said he came to the United States from Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, about nine years ago. He said his entire family is still there, and he's been pleading with his parents and sister for weeks to leave and get to safety and doesn't know what he can do now to help them.
The group is also calling on leaders to do more to support Ukraine, such as imposing harsher sanctions than the ones already instituted.
Roxolana Wynar told WUSA she felt she had to come out to make her voice heard.
"Different cities throughout Ukraine are currently being bombed, and people are being displaced, and it's horrible. We're here to protest to stop this war and to show the world that we're not going to stand by and do nothing. We're going to unite, and we're going to call on the U.S. government to do more and our allies to do more to stop this war," Wynar said.
The demonstrators dispersed before sunrise, but said they plan to continue their protest outside the White House Thursday afternoon.
