Kateryna and Mario met each other in Ukraine. When Russia attacked Ukraine and its Special Forces, known as "the little green men", annexed portions of her home country, Kateryna fled the occupied territory to seek freedom in Odesa, Ukraine. While on an assignment in Ukraine, Mario was studying Russian language in Odesa where the two later crossed paths and fell in love. Unable to return, they traveled around the region, eventually ending up in Washington D.C. 

HMU: sparklebyelena