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Thousands of Fresno-area residents trace their roots to Russia, Ukraine

People walk past the aftermath of Russian shelling in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. As russian troops launched their anticipated attack on Ukraine, large explosions were heard before dawn in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa
People walk past the aftermath of Russian shelling in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. As russian troops launched their anticipated attack on Ukraine, large explosions were heard before dawn in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa AP photo by Efrem Lukatsky The Associated Press

Russia’s overnight invasion of neighboring Ukraine Wednesday is about 6,000 miles from the San Joaquin Valley – half a world away from places like Fresno, Visalia and Madera.

Yet there are thousands of residents in the central San Joaquin Valley, and hundreds of thousands in California, who trace their roots back to the two nations.

The chart below reflects the estimated number of residents of Russian and Ukrainian ancestry in Fresno, Kings, Madera, Merced and Tulare counties, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Tim Sheehan
The Fresno Bee
559-441-6319
Lifelong Valley resident Tim Sheehan has worked as a reporter and editor in the region since 1986, and has been with The Fresno Bee since 1998. He is currently The Bee’s data reporter and also covers California’s high-speed rail project and other transportation issues. He grew up in Madera, has a journalism degree from Fresno State and a master’s degree in leadership studies from Fresno Pacific University. Support my work with a digital subscription
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