Democratic super PAC launches ads partially in Ukrainian in key states

Democratic super PAC American Bridge launched a partially Ukrainian-language ad campaign hitting Republican figures for past comments on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

The five-figure print ad buy is running in cities with large Ukrainian American populations including Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia. This week, the ads are running in the Hudson Hub Times, Monroe Evening News, Burlington County Times and the Doylestown Intelligencer.

The ad leads with a header in Ukrainian, and features quotes in English from Reps. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Ohio Senate candidates Josh Mandel and J.D. Vance, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in which they suggested that U.S. domestic policies should take precedence over the crisis in Ukraine. 

“I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another,” Vance is quoted in the ad. 

Vance issued a statement last month after he said he didn’t care what happens to Ukraine, in which he praised former President Trump’s handling of foreign policy in the region and described the situation as an “unquestionable tragedy.”

Trump is also quoted in the ad as calling Russian President Vladimir Putin “a genius.” Trump later called himself “pro-Ukraine” after making the comment last month. 

The attack illustrates how much the Russian invasion has impacted the U.S. campaign trail, which is normally focused mostly on domestic issues. 

“Republicans at every level — from Donald Trump to their Senate candidates — have gone on the record to belittle Ukraine and Ukrainians and to praise war criminal Vladimir Putin. It’s disgusting and it’s wrong,” American Bridge President Jessica Floyd said in a statement to The Hill. 

During Tuesday’s Ohio GOP Senate debate in Cleveland, the candidates were asked about how they would approach the crisis in Ukraine. All five candidates said that military aid should be provided to Ukraine in their fight against Russia, but were against a no-fly zone over the country.