The president of a Ukrainian organization in the Hudson Valley says he has some concerns about a deal reached between Russia and military contractor Wagner Group.

Under a deal to end the insurrection, Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was expected to leave Russia and retreat to Belarus, where charges against him will be dropped.

"I think there's a lot of questions about whether or not that whole situation is real," says Jaroslaw Palylyk, president of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of Westchester.

Palylyk questions if the brief challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin was staged.

"Or whether it was like a false flag operation to try take the focus away from what is going on in Ukraine," Palylyk adds.

Despite this fear, Palylyk believes the Wagner operation casts doubts about Putin's leadership.

"It's very scary. I think it shows that there is instability in Russia, if you can at least take that away from it, and that there may be change in the future. But right now, Ukraine still needs to move forward," Palylyk says.

He adds that the family, friends, and close contacts that he has over in Ukraine still remain positive.

"They know they will win the war, they know that they are struggling to make that happen and losing many of their best young men and women, but they know they will win," Palylyk says.

Palylyk says their desired outcome depends on Western support and implores people to pay attention to Putin's plan.

"He wants to put back the Soviet Union. and you have to stop him now,” he said. “Ukraine…wants freedom, just like anyone else in Europe or the people in the United States," Palylyk says.

He urged anyone willing to get involved by helping refugee relocation efforts or running a fundraiser.