New Yorkers waited in a long line at a Ukrainian diner to show solidarity in the wake of Russia's invasion

• New Yorkers waited in line for local Ukrainian diner Velselka after Russia's invasion, per the NYT.
• The diner's owner told the NYT that there's normally no line at that point in the day.

A local Ukrainian diner in New York was swarmed with guests on Thursday after news that Russia had invaded the country, The New York Times reported.

Veselka, located on Second Avenue, had a line of New Yorkers which stretched around the block, per The Times.

It comes as hundreds of people gathered in Manhattan to protest against Russia's attack on Ukraine, chanting "stop the war" and "stop Russia now" while holding Ukrainian flags, The Times reported.

The restaurant staff said a prayer before Veselka opened on Thursday, The Times reported.

"We are getting an outpouring of love," Jason Birchard, the owner of Veselka, told The Times. "We don't usually have a line this time of day."

One of the waitresses, called Tania Didyk, told The Times that she struggled to work on Thursday and felt bad that her family were still in Ukraine while she was in New York.

The city has the biggest Ukrainian community in the US, per Reuters.

Birchard said on Veselka's website that his grandfather opened the diner in 1954.

Veselka offers a range of traditional Ukrainian food on its menu, including potato pancakes, goulash, and dumplings called pierogi, per its website.

Veselka didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment made outside of US operating hours.