Today marks four years since Russian forces, at the direction of President Vladimir Putin, invaded Ukraine.
The earliest signs of the invasion came to light in the early morning hours of Feb. 24. About an hour later, Putin announced what he called a "special military operation."
The war is still ongoing. As of early 2026, estimates place the number of injured and killed in Ukraine as high as 600,000, and as high as 1.2 million for Russia.
The anniversary of the war triggers traumatic memories for one Coastal Bend resident. Elena Sexton witnessed the war firsthand and still has family living in Ukraine.
One of her experiences was seeing water freeze inside homes, where many people were unsure when heat and power would return.
To escape the war, her parents moved to Romania while she moved to Texas, where her husband is from. She said moving to the United States felt safe.
"The progress of Ukraine now is just to survive and fight for the territory and safety of the population of Ukraine," Sexton said.
Another concern is recent work permit changes. Sexton said the cost to obtain one is around $1,200.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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