4 Ways Ohio Has Shown Support For Ukraine During Russian Invasion

OHIO — Gov. Mike DeWine this week barred any state agency from contracting with Russia for goods and services and ordered the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation to divest of all Russian assets in its investment portfolio.

"We will not support Russia with Ohio taxpayer dollars," DeWine said in a statement.

The governor encouraged all pension funds to follow the Bureau's lead and divest of any Russian holdings. Ohio already ceased the purchase and sale of Russian Standard vodka, the only overseas, Russian-owned distillery vodka sold in the Buckeye State.

"Ohioans stand with the people of Ukraine and all of the freedom-loving people of the world against this unprovoked and unconscionable invasion that has led to so much suffering and destruction," DeWine said.

Ohio is also lighting two of its bridges in blue and yellow, like the Ukrainian flag, to support the besieged people.

The George V. Voinovich Bridge — which lifts I-90 over the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland — and the Veterans' Glass City Skyway — which lifts I-280 over the Maumee River in Toledo — were both lit by blue and yellow for the first time on Tuesday night.

The Ukrainian flag is currently being flown at the Ohio Statehouse.

Russia began its invasion of Ukraine last week and has bombarded cities repeatedly in recent days. In just seven days of fighting, more than 2% of Ukraine’s population has been forced out of the country, according to the tally the U.N. refugee agency released to The Associated Press. The mass evacuation could be seen in Kharkiv, a city of about 1.4 million people and Ukraine's second-largest. Residents desperate to escape falling shells and bombs crowded the city’s train station and pressed onto trains, not always knowing where they were headed.

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this article.