As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth week, President Joe Biden is preparing to discuss the invasion with China’s President Xi Jinping on Friday. President Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” for Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine civilians. Those attacks are underway in the suburbs of Kyiv, near the northeastern city of Kharkiv and in Chernihiv. In Mariupol, a search for survivors is ongoing after an airstrike Wednesday hit a theater where hundreds of people were sheltering.
According to the New York Times, the war has claimed the lives of at least 7,000 Russian soldiers. U.S. officials say that’s a staggering number and may explain why Russian forces haven’t been able to breach Kyiv’s city center.
Following the start of the invasion, a Woodbridge-based freight company that specializes in shipping to Eastern Europe saw its business dry up. But Meest-America quickly shifted gears and began shipping humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies from New Jersey to Ukraine. Over the past two weeks, Meest-America has packed and delivered 750,000 pounds of aid — things like food, clothing and medicine. Natalia Brandafi, Meest-America’s COO, said, “Most of our customers also have friends and families in Ukraine. We felt this overwhelming demand to ship humanitarian aid from our customers, Ukrainian-American organizations, and now, even American organizations.”
NJ Spotlight News got a first-hand look at the aid operations on a day when first lady Tammy Murphy paid the company a visit to show her appreciation.
