Tryzub volunteer describes stint in Ukraine

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This article was published 04/07/2022 (1331 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Tryzub volunteer has returned home to Brandon after aiding in supply runs to help those impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Vartan Davtian returned to Brandon on June 22 after spending three months in Ukraine as a humanitarian aid volunteer. Davtian provided supplies to those in need with aid from the Brandon-based Canadian Ukrainian Association group Tryzub.

Davtian left behind a decade-long career working in the Virden oil patch. He departed from Winnipeg on March 16, taking with him suitcases full of medical supplies.

When he first arrived in Ukraine, the initial shock of the war was strong and people were rallying at the grassroots level to support each other. As time went on, they became more organized and were able to better target aid to those affected by the war.

“Right now it’s more organized, people know more what they are doing,” Davtian said. “They realize they have to be human beings and help each other.”

Davtian returned to Canada with a collection of Ukrainian items to sell as a Tryzub fundraiser for ongoing Ukrainian war efforts. He uses Ukrainian souvenirs as a jumping-off point to explain how donations are making an active difference on the ground in Ukraine.

Davtian and Tryzub volunteers were on hand at the Brandon Farmers’ Market Saturday selling souvenirs. The event came after raising more than $1,800 at the Riverbank Discovery Centre on Canada Day. Tryzub will be at Dinsdale Park on July 9 at 6 p.m. selling additional items.

“You think it’s only $2 or $3, but those people are heroes,” Davtian said. “They save lives.”

Davtian has seen the impact even the smallest act of support can have.

Davtian will explain the meaning behind items — one of his favourites to showcase is the yellow and blue shield “Tryzub” trident, a symbol of freedom. The Tryzub of Ukraine incorporates the word “воля” (volya) meaning “freedom.”

“In our culture, we’ve been always free and we will always be fighting for freedom,” Davtian said.

Davtian hails from the Mukachevo Zakarpats’ka Oblast’ in western Ukraine. The majority of souvenirs he brought back to Canada came from this region, he said, because it is where many refugees have fled for safety.

One of his most treasured items is special T-shirts hand-painted by refugee children through an initiative organized by his friend Olia Brill, who also helped create a shelter for displaced refugees in a local bazaar, a facility similar to a farmers’ market.

Davtian has a video of the art project that shows about 30 children decorating T-shirts with yellow and blue Tryzubs, the Ukrainian flag with the word “freedom” and other designs.

The goal of the T-shirt fundraiser is to help raise money for the ongoing humanitarian crisis, Davtian said, while helping the youth feel empowered after facing incredible adversity.

“It’s going to be a great piece of art from refugee kids who never give up,’” Davtian said. “They are all doing something. They are all involved — every single one of them have smiles still on their face and they believe it’s going to end.”

In his experience, those he encountered while in Ukraine, no matter how much they lost, remained focused on winning the war.

The majority of people Davtian met when visiting shelters had seen their homes destroyed by the war as Russian troops advanced. They were evacuated with the bare essentials and now live in converted safe havens such as gyms, bazaars or train stations.

Davtian said one of the most surreal experiences he had was a bazaar with small and clear plastic storefronts converted into makeshift homes for displaced refugees.

It is challenging to imagine the devastation in Ukraine because it is happening a world away, Davtian said. Even pictures do not capture the adversity Ukrainians continue to face during the conflict.

“When you see it in real life, it’s very different,” Davtian said. “It doesn’t explain that feeling when you are there.”

One of his most haunting memories was visiting a gym filled with hundreds of people at 3 a.m. The space was packed to capacity with those seeking respite from the war, Davtian said. Even though he was surrounded by people, the room was filled with an eerie silence.

“It was super quiet. You would think that many, there should be some noise,” Davtian said, his voice cracking with emotion. “You see those people and children sleeping there and you imagine every single person has their own life … and now they’re sleeping in this gym.”

He said it was a haunting experience because he knows there are countless shelters like this in Ukraine.

The United Nations reported the Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered an immediate and steep rise in humanitarian needs since the war began in February.

It is estimated 12 million people inside Ukraine will need relief and protection, while more than four million Ukrainian refugees may need protection and assistance in neighbouring countries.

More than 8.8 million people across Ukraine have received some form of humanitarian assistance and at least 16 million still require aid.

As of June 26, the UN human rights office has recorded 10,631 civilian casualties in the country— 4,731 dead and 5,900 injured. These figures are based on verified incidents, said a UN report, and the actual numbers are “considerably higher.”

Between Jan. 1 and June 26, the federal government reported more than 55,000 Ukrainians have landed in Canada.

Canada has received more than 343,000 Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel applications and more than 146,000 applications have been approved.

“The war didn’t end, and people still need all the supplies,” Davtian said. “It’s getting worse over there.”

» ckemp@brandonsun.com, with files from The Brandon Sun

» Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp