Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on Feb.  24, 2022, and as of early 2026, the war has entered its fourth year. 

For Beachwood students with personal or family ties to Russia and Ukraine, the war is about more than headlines and diplomatic debates. It is a lived reality that shapes daily life, identity and hopes for the future. 

13 BHS students speak Russian at home, and four speak Ukrainian, according to data provided by the guidance department. Some of these students have moved here since the war began, and all have direct cultural and family connections to the region.

Across interviews with some of these students, common themes emerged: loss, frustration, uncertainty and a yearning for peace. For some, the conflict has reinforced a sense of national identity.

“I identify myself as Ukrainian, of course,” junior Severyn Denys said.

That sense of identity, he said, has been shaped by displacement and separation.

“These developments forced my mother to come to the United States and split our family apart because of the war,” Denys said. 

His father and brother remain in Ukraine, in the midst of ongoing danger. 

“To be safer and in better conditions, I came here,” he added.

The separation has been one of the most difficult consequences of the conflict for him, affecting his emotional well-being and daily routines.

Another Ukrainian student, senior Alex Rabochii, also described the war’s impact on his family.

“My grandma lives in Ukraine, and most of my family still lives there,” Rabochii said. “It’s been kind of hard, especially as the war goes on and all these things keep happening.”

The progress of the war has been grueling.

Fighting continues along multiple front lines, with missile and drone strikes ongoing and no comprehensive ceasefire in place.

Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have persisted but remain stalled. U.S. and European- backed peace proposals have been discussed, though major disagreements, particularly over Ukrainian territory and long term security guarantees, have prevented a final agreement. 

After peace talks in December, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed cautious optimism that the war could end in 2026, while Russian officials have rejected several proposed terms which, in turn, has kept negotiations at an impasse.

The human cost has been immense. Estimates suggest that hundreds of thousands of soldiers have been killed or wounded on both sides, along with thousands of civilian deaths and millions displaced, making the conflict the deadliest war in Europe since World War II.

Rabochii added that he believes recent peace proposals, including the one proposed through mediation by President Trump, could unfairly favor Russia.

“I haven’t really liked any of them because they favor Russia,” he said. “I think Trump believes that if he appeases Russia, then the peace plan will work, but I don’t think any peace plan will have that strong an effect.”

Rabochii said some parts of the proposal, such as a potential end to active fighting, could reduce casualties. Still, other details, like potential loss of Ukrainian territory, would harm Ukraine’s economy and national integrity.

“Ukraine loses territory, loses people, loses its presence on the world stage,” Rabochii said.

He also criticized the idea that negotiation alone can bring peace.

“It’s not going to make Russia suddenly stop the war,” he said.

By contrast, Denys said students around him generally feel neutral about peace negotiations.

“Students who aren’t Ukrainian probably don’t think much about it,” he said. “Only the people who were affected by it, who have family there, really care.”

Identity is complicated for some students whose family histories cross borders.

Senior Sasha Kheyfets said she has cultural ties to both Ukraine and Russia, explaining that her father was born in Kyiv, Ukraine and her mother in Russia’s Ural Mountains.

“Genetically, I’m Ukrainian and Russian, but all my traditions are mostly from Russia,” Kheyfets said. 

She noted that the war affects personal and family conversations at home more than school life.

Kheyfets said discussions about the war differ sharply between public spaces and private ones, with school offering distance from the conflict while conversations at home are far more emotional.

“Not so much at school, but a lot at home,” she said. “[When the news is on,] both of my parents get really angry and really upset when they see anything in the news.”

Kheyfets believes students in her community support peace, even if they are skeptical about how it could be achieved.

“I think it’s a really nice idea, but realistically, negotiation turns into arguments that don’t yield any positive results,” she said.

Several students emphasized that outsiders often misunderstand the war’s human impact.

Rabochii said he believes people outside Ukraine underestimate the scale of the suffering.

“A lot of focus goes to other global conflicts, but Ukraine is the bloodiest war in Europe since World War II,” Rabochii said. “People need to remember that we’re all human, and we should help others, even if they’re not from our country.”

Kheyfets echoed that sentiment and said global conversations often oversimplify who is responsible for the conflict.

“People often think that when they say Russia or Ukraine is at fault, they treat it like it’s the whole country,” Kheyfets said. “But most people in Russia don’t want the war, and most people in Ukraine don’t want the war. It’s really just the leaders.”

For Russian student Anna Tonyushkin, the war has shaped her interactions with both personal identity and community.

“As a young Russian, [who lives] here, but someone who identifies as Russian, I understand everything that’s going on, and I obviously don’t support it,” Tonyushkin said. 

She described feeling guilt and frustration over the conflict.

“It is impacting my family negatively,” she said. “It’s affecting the fact that I can’t go back.”

Several students said the war will shape how their generation views international relations in the years to come.

Denys said lasting resentment may remain.

“People who were affected won’t forgive Russia,” he said.

Rabochii said the war altered his perception of U.S. leadership.

“For me, it kind of diminishes America’s influence and power on the global stage,” he said. “In the beginning, America showed a lot of support for Ukraine, but that’s diminished, especially with the new administration.”

Kheyfets said the experience has made her more empathetic.

“When I look at future international relations with countries I’m not directly connected to, I can take what I’m feeling now, how this war affects my home life, my family, and my friends, and apply that same empathy to those other countries,” she said.

Tonyushkin said the conflict has brought her back to reality.

“It kind of took away hope that the world is going to get better and [people will] help each other,” she said.

Still, she said it also strengthened her resolve to support peaceful coexistence.

Despite the conflict’s toll, students from both sides expressed compassion toward one another.

Denys said he does not blame Russian students for the war.

“I don’t feel mad at them,” he said. “They didn’t choose to be born there.”

But he also added that he hopes Russian peers who support the war will reconsider.

“Over 100,000 people have died,” he said. “It’s very bad.”

Rabochii empathizes with young Russians who may support peace.

“They shouldn’t be sending young people, with dreams and aspirations, to fight in a country where they don’t even understand why they’re there,” he said.

Kheyfets encouraged students to hold on to hope.

“Even though everything is horrible right now, there are glimpses of hope and reasons to survive, just not to give up,” she said.