Akimova found her footing in a boxing gym run by a Russian trainer who became a grounding force.
A Ukrainian refugee named Anzelika Akimova enters her fighting stance at the Eastern Block Boxing gym in Los Angeles.
At the Eastern Block Boxing gym in Los Angeles, Russians and Ukrainians alike come to train.
Before their paths aligned at Eastern Block Boxing, Poddubnov fought as an amateur boxer in Russia.
Salman Poddubnov opened the boxing gym after a stint in prison, where he trained fellow inmates.
Persons:
Anzelika Akimova, Arina, Akimova, Joe Biden's, Stella Kalinina, Salman Poddubnov, —, hadn't, ached, didn't, LIRS, Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, we've, Vignarajah, Poddubnov, Vladimir Putin's
Organizations:
Eastern, Karate, Lutheran Immigration, Refugee Service, Department of Homeland Security, TPS, Soviet Union
Locations:
Ukraine, Los Angeles, Russian, Ukrainian, California, Russians, Odesa, Kyiv, Akimova, Toluca Lake, North Hollywood, That's, Moldovan, Romania, Czech, Prague, Mexico, Tijuana, Mexicali, Calexico, Russia, Volzhsky, Stalingrad, Eastern, Poddubnov, Soviet, Soviet Union