For Ukrainians, home is no longer safe. But some – including this mom of four – are choosing to stay anyway.
As scores of people flee Ukraine, seeking safety from Russian gunfire, tanks and rockets, some have stayed behind. Mariya Kaprinska and her husband Myrolav Karpinskyy own a hotel in Stryi, and she said within the first two days of Russia's invasion, they were fully booked.
She said many of the guests are merely making a stop on their way out of the country. "The first thing [guests] ask is where to hide," Kaprinksa told CBS News. "They are checking in the room, they ask, 'Is there a place to hide?' We show them the basement."
Kaprinska isn't just a business owner. She's a mom of four. Her family's reason to stay in Ukraine is simple: "I have a big family. My kids want to stay home. They take music classes, they play chess, they speak English. We are happy in our homeland, we don't want to leave anywhere. I don't even want to think about that," she said. "But, the actions taken by the aggressor cause us to defend ourselves.
Many Ukrainians are defending themselves – with civilians learning how to shoot guns. Stanislav Kravchenko, who was born in Ukraine but lives in New York City, said many of his friends originally planned to leave. "On the second day of [of the Russian invasion] I called them and they're like, 'You know what, Stan, we're not leaving. We are going to stay and we are going to fight for us, for our peace.' And most of my friends have stayed too."
Kravchenko's parents are friends with Kaprinska and also decided to stay. "It's their home. It's Ukraine," Kravchenko said. "It's where they're born, their culture is, their friends are, family is. So, they're not willing to leave home."
"Why do I have to run away from my own home? I don't want to do this," Kravchenko's mom, Oleksandra, told CBS News, with Kaprinska translating.
While the Kravchenko and Kaprinksa families decided to stay, they know tomorrow isn't promised. "I'm not sure we would be able to talk with you like this tomorrow," Kaprinska said. "Everything develops so quickly, we don't have time to take it and realize it. I'm not sure whether the next couple of hours will be silent near our homes."
Just hours after they spoke with CBS News, Kravchenko said his family took shelter in a basement, worried there might be an airstrike.
While the families know there is a risk to staying in Ukraine – it's their home. "Honestly, I have so many plans for my future. I'm at a loss," Kaprinksa said. "It's from crying to shock. Then I catch myself thinking I'm very, very angry. I'm very angry."
