Russian Jewish ‘Late Night’ Writer With On-Air Support for Ukraine: Invasion Is ‘Putin’s War’

Shiryn Ghermezian

“Late Night with Seth Meyers” writer Dina Gusovsky talking about Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Photo: YouTube screenshot.

A Russian-born Jewish writer on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” appeared on air during Tuesday night’s episode of the show to talk about her native country, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and how Russian-Americans are supporting the Ukrainian cause.

In a nearly five-minute long monologue, Dina Gusovsky — who fled the former Soviet Union with her family as Jewish refugees 30 years ago — said she feels like a “walking contradiction in America,” because she is appreciative to live in the US but still speaks Russian with family and immerses herself in Russian culture.

The writer, who also shared a photo of her and her mother taken before they fled the former Soviet Union, called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “Putin’s war.”

“Just because someone in America speaks Russian and always looks miserable, that doesn’t mean that they support Putin,” she said, adding that “despite the many times that I’ve been told to ‘go back to Russia’ — shoutout to my fifth grade teacher — I am so grateful to be an American … and while [Putin] might be trying to divide Russians and Ukrainians over there, here in America, we are united and steadfast in our support for Ukraine.”

Gusovsky later spoke about her numerous Russian and Ukrainian immigrant friends, and the similarities between the two cultures, like how they both enjoy sunflower seeds and are close to their babushkas, or grandmothers.

“My grandmother was born in Kirovohrad, Ukraine, survived the Holocaust and witnessed the Cold War,” Gusovsky said. “She was only able to come to America in her 60s, and she happens to be this country’s biggest cheerleader.”

She also poked fun at the show’s host by saying that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian, is an example of “just how brave comedians are,” and that Meyers should go and fight in Ukraine. When Meyers hesitated, Gusovsky joked, “I’m just f**king with you. I didn’t think you’d go. Nobody did.”

Watch Dina Gusovsky speak on “Light Night with Seth Meyers” in the video below.