Athens Mayor Steve Patterson had to take shelter during a Russian bombardment while on a trip to Ukraine

By: Charlie Ihlenfeld
Posted on: Friday, June 13, 2025

< < Back to news

ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) — Athens’ Mayor Steve Patterson was in Kiev, Ukraine, last week when he was awakened by the sounds of a massive drone attack.

He and other hotel guests took shelter in a reinforced bunker in the hotel basement as Russia continued its retaliation for Ukraine’s recent strike on Russian aircraft.

Patterson, who served in the Air Force for more than 20 years, said he was not too bothered by the attack.

The mayor was in Ukraine for the 3rd International Summit of Cities and Regions, held  on June 5 and 6. Patterson was able to visit many areas of the country and said the losses experienced by Ukrainians was “heartbreaking.”

But, he said, those losses had not diminished the people’s “will to win.”

Patterson recounted visiting Irpin, a small city outside Kiev. The city was leveled by Russian assaults early in the war with 70% of the city destroyed. Two hundred and ninety civilians were killed in the initial attack on the city. But when Patterson visited the city, he saw it had rebounded from the attack.

“Within a year, year and a half, Irpin had basically rebuilt themselves,” Patterson said.

This visit was Patterson’s first under the new administration in Washington, which has been more friendly to the Kremlin. The thought was on Patterson’s mind as he went to meet leaders and people in Ukraine.

“How am I going to be received when I come?” said Patterson.

Despite concerns about the position of the White House, the mayor said he was greeted with support from people he encountered.

“They were overwhelmingly appreciative that I was there,” he said. “That I showed up.”

Patterson said he told those he met that the “narrative coming out of the White House” was “not reflective of the many cities and towns across the U.S.”

Ohio has become one of the largest communities for refugees displaced by the ongoing war in Ukraine. According to The Guardian, a community of 15,000 has taken root in Cleveland.

Patterson emphasized the gratitude from Ukrainians for the support that has come from the United States. He said he worked to deepen the connection between Ohio University and National University of Ostroh Academy. The connection between the two universities is a key part of the relationship they established when the cities officially became linked in 2023.

Patterson said he is continuing to work toward educating and graduating more mental health professionals in Ukraine. He described the acute need for these professionals in a country that regularly faces terror-inducing aerial assault.

Patterson is heading back to Europe today, but this time he will be in Germany for a meeting about industrial policy.