Ukrainian family's new life in Menomonie at risk without legal help

Liubov, Dana, Maryna, and Dima escaped from Ukraine and are now safe in Menomonie, but their future is uncertain following the discontinuation of the program that brought them here.

For 13-year-old Dmitrii “Dima” Kuznietsov, the peaceful life he’s found in Menomonie is a stark contrast to the chaos he left behind in war-torn Ukraine.

Dima and his family arrived in Wisconsin in March 2024 through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services' (USCIS) Uniting for Ukraine program, a streamlined initiative designed to provide temporary refuge to displaced Ukrainian citizens under humanitarian parole.

With the program now discontinued, the Kuznietsovs must find a new legal path to remain in the United States. Their only option is to apply for asylum—a process that allows individuals to stay in the country if they can prove a credible fear of persecution in their home country. Doing so comes with a cost; $12,000 per family unit is needed to cover the attorney fees associated with filing for asylum. (A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family.)

The family's ordeal began when Russian forces invaded their hometown in Ukraine’s Zaporizhia region in February 2022. Nightly bombings became the norm.

“When the sirens went off, Dima knew his mission,” said his mother, Maryna. “He would wake up directly, put on the backpack with our documents, medications, and food, and scramble to the basement.”

Dima’s father, Volodymyr, serves in the Ukrainian military. He was taken hostage by Russian forces and suffered serious health complications as a result. The couple made the difficult decision that removing their children from the highly unstable situation was the best course of action. Maryna fled to Poland with Dima, his younger sister Dana, and her mother Liubov. 

“People don’t know what it feels like to wake up to the fatalities of neighbors - tanks driving around in the streets,” said Maryna. “I did not want my children to grow up like that.”

They spent two years in Poland before being sponsored by Menomonie residents Terry and Elizabeth Witt under the Uniting for Ukraine program. Their arrival in Menomonie brought much-needed relief and hope. But that sense of safety is now threatened by the looming expiration of their legal status in March 2026.

Their story has moved many in the community, including Natasha Bade, an English Learner Teacher at Menomonie Middle School, who started a GoFundMe to help the family.

“Dima is a kind, hardworking, and friendly student who just finished seventh grade at Menomonie Middle School,” Bade said. “He’s learning English—his fourth language—and plays on a traveling soccer team. His little sister Dana is in 4K and picking up English rapidly.”

While Maryna works to support the family, and Liubov maintains the household and prepares traditional Ukrainian meals, the family remains anxious about what lies ahead.

“They feel safe and happy here,” Bade said. “Please consider donating to help Dima and his family stay in the community they now call home.”

The $12,000 to file for asylum covers one family unit. Maryna and her children are considered one family unit, and Liubov is a second family unit, so the family needs $24,000 total. Donations of any amount are appreciated and can be made through the GoFundMe that has been set up for the family. 

This article was written with information taken from the GoFundMe site and with the assistance of Natasha Bade.