Ukrainians move to North Dakota for oil field jobs to help families facing war back home

DICKINSON, N.D. (AP) — Maksym Bunchukov remembers hearing rockets explode in Zaporizhzhia as the war in Ukraine began. Now, about 18 months after the war broke out, Bunchukov is in North Dakota, like thousands of Ukrainians who came over a century ago. Twelve more Ukrainians are scheduled to arrive by Aug. 15 as part of the North Dakota Petroleum Council’s Bakken Global Recruitment of Oilfield Workers program. Some workers want to bring their families to North Dakota while others hope to return to Ukraine. Ness estimated there are roughly 2,500 jobs available in an oil field producing about 1.1 million barrels per day.