BUFFALO N.Y. (WIVB) – Ukrainians in Western New York are rallying community support as the war between Russia and Ukraine approaches the one year mark.

“We don’t know where the end point is. As human beings, we want to know an end point. We want to have some idea that closure is coming but we don’t know,” said Dianna Derhak, who’s a volunteer at the Dnipro Ukrainian Cultural Center in Buffalo.

Derhak wants to bring awareness to how serious the situation in Ukraine continues to be.

“The numbers don’t even speak of the personal losses, and the tragedies families are feeling every single day,” she said.

Derhak tells News 4 her friends in Ukraine are still fighting.

“A friend of mine recently posted what his Valentine’s day looked like and it’s literally on the Eastern front in a muddy trench and holding fort from the Russian forces,” she said.

“When Russia invaded Ukraine on Febuary 24th 2022, there was an outpouring of support throughout WNY for people in Ukraine and for those in WNY who had loved ones there. Members of the center want to see that support continue.

“Keep the communication going, tell people the war is not over the battle is still going on. We can’t allow ourselves to become tired and give up and surrender,” said Emil Bandrowsky, who’s the President of the Dnipro Ukrainian Cultural Center.

“I think we should be emotionally prepared that we need to stay with this process to the end because the quality of our lives depend on it too,” Derhak said.

The center is organizing several events later this week asking for the community’s support.

There will be a candlelight vigil and March of Flags on Friday at 5 p.m. at the Ukrainian American Civic Center on 205 Military road.

There will also be a vigil at 6:30 p.m. at Buffalo State University. That’s followed by a concert for Ukraine at Rockwell Hall.

Then at midnight on Saturday a bus will depart Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox and head to Washington D.C. for a rally. The rally will be at 9 a.m. on Saturday.