I was prepping for an interview when I heard the first explosion Big Sky Resort ski patrol was performing avalanche control What if these explosions were Caliber cruise missiles raining down on my own town of Big Sky the 30-year-old mayor of Kopychyntsi in western Ukraine Ukraine allocated $4.3 billion to its military about one-tenth of the amount Russia spent With approximately 200,000 military personnel to Russia’s 900,000 Kelichavyi has already sent 60 of his townspeople to the front lines It’s tragic watching the events unfold in the wake of Russia’s invasion an unprecedented act of war against a sovereign nation Many Americans are wondering: being so far from the conflict We don’t have reporters on the ground in Ukraine and the conflict is being well covered by journalists around the globe I received a text message from my former editor through his work as Bozeman’s economic development director had connected with Bogdan in Ukraine three years ago After speaking with Bogdan and his wife Mariya I realized there exists a human factor that we as a newspaper could tap into How often do air raid sirens echo across the town square What I heard in the Kelichavyis’ voices was somewhere between stunned fear and heroic resolve “We will fight for our country,” Mariya told me “You can take away our flag but we’re the same people; we’re no different from you.” Mariya and their fellow countrymen are desperate to share Kopychyntsi is about twice the size of Big Sky Its residents hunt and spend time outdoors and it’s close to the mountains Fontenot has set up a relief account at First Security Bank in Bozeman Checks can be made out to “Brit Fontenot – Ukrainian Relief Fund.” Money will go directly to assist the people of Kopychyntsi Here’s an excerpt from our interview. Click here to watch the full interview on YouTube This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.  you’re nine hours ahead [of Montana time and it’s 12:30 a.m This was the time you suggested: later in the evening Bogdan Kelichavyi: It’s less intense because during the day we are organizing a lot of processes … and it’s [takes] a lot of attention and a lot of concentration In the evening our defense unit is watching the town so it’s much easier to talk and to be focused on one thing EBS: I imagine you have not been able to sleep much there’s sirens and the air [raid] alarm … You simply cannot sleep long There are so many things that you’re worried about.  B.K.: One of the biggest concerns is we had to put on hold many things in terms of developing the town but [on the other] hand … we should be concerned for our lives and our safety and our people today we got news that one of the doctors who lived like 10 kilometers away from us and we knew him because he was head of the hospital he died today actually trying to save people The building fell on him and that’s how he died.  Kyiv is seeing its share of the Russian attack right now but in your town in Kopychyntsi so that’s why people are considering this a safer place But we have air alarms like two [or] three And until now we’ve been lucky but there were bombardings 100 kilometers from here EBS: What are you most surprised about in terms of the resolve of the Ukrainian people every minute I see a person coming to my city hall or texting me and asking Please register me for the self-defense unit.” Everybody is now so involved and I’ve never imagined this kind of unity in this local society You’ve recently started a basketball league I was born here because it has a hospital and my parents are doctors it’s your playground and all the strangers are actually watching you to help you because they’re like neighbors and it’s a bit religious like any small town.  the typical Sunday for my neighbors would look like they would go to church in the morning There is a forest around and we like bicycles EBS: That sounds similar in some ways to small-town Montana You mentioned there are a number of hunters there as well.  We have hundreds and actually now I see the value of them because at least they have some weapons We rely on hunters very much and try to split our units so there will be at least one or two or three hunters in any group of 10 because we don’t have any military veterans EBS: You were telling me about Molotov cocktails B.K.: We are preparing [for war] in different ways and one of the ways is [that] we know Molotov cocktails [are] very effective for fighting tanks And by it was interesting because nobody had done research about it earlier Some people started preparing a lot of them.  EBS: What do you want to tell the world right now B.K.: I would like to say that we are the same people This shouldn’t be happening and the whole world should do their best to stop this war People in free countries and democracy countries They just want to live their peaceful lives and we have similar healthy hobbies We’re here and I think us being able to get the word out and be able to speak to you is a great privilege