Rally for Ukraine set for today at 4 p.m.

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This article was published 24/02/2024 (571 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It has been two years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. On the morning of Feb. 24, 2022, air strikes and a ground invasion hit the eastern part of the country, followed by missile attacks hitting the capital Kyiv and then the city of Luhansk, which is still under Russian control.

As of the end of January 2024, 10,378 civilians had been killed and 19,632 had been injured, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which was a significant increase from the year before.

In Brandon, Julia Krykavska said those numbers are difficult to hear. Krykavska is one of the founders of Tryzub, a local Ukrainian-Canadian association that is raising money to help people caught in or fleeing the Russian invasion.

“Two years of a war, hard to believe,” said Krykavska, who spent many months when the war first broke out driving back and forth to Winnipeg to pick up Ukrainian refugees from the airport.

“We have more than 400 families now in Westman, and we’re still trying to do as much as we can to support our community here, which is growing because people keep fleeing from Ukraine, trying to find a safe place to live,” said Krykavska.

Krykavska has been in the Wheat City since 2008 and is from an area near Lviv, Ukraine’s fifth largest city and one of the main cultural centres in western Ukraine.

“Most of my family members are there on my husband’s and my side. And most of my friends are there. So family members, friends and classmates are on the front line,” she said.

For the second year in a row, Krykavska is helping to organize a rally to raise support, awareness and funds for those who are affected by the invasion, whether they’re in Ukraine or Manitoba.

“We’re hoping people will join us for our rally, our walk, Saturday afternoon starting at 4 p.m. at Brandon University, at their flag area that faces 18 Street.

“Then we’ll walk to city hall for a flag raising and a brief ceremony, and we expect that to start at 4:30 p.m.,” said Krykavska.

She has noticed a slight decrease in donations in the last few months, and reminded participants they can donate on Saturday or to Tryzub’s account at any location of Westoba Credit Union.

“We have trustworthy volunteers in different parts of Ukraine, and money is going directly to them. We trust them 100 per cent and they distribute everything to the needs of the soldiers on a weekly basis to purchase much-needed night vision glasses, safety vests and drones,” Krykavska said.

As of the July 2023, more than 24,000 Ukrainians presented at the reception centre in Winnipeg, and based on federal arrival data, about 14 per cent of all arrivals in the country have come to Manitoba, according to the Manitoba government’s website.

Hannah Holt of Westman Immigrant Services says more than 700 people have come through their doors, with the first step being a needs assessment.

The employment department at WIS helps new arrivals hoping to find a job, and if someone needs housing, they receive coaching on how to look for and find a place to live.

“Also, we have settlement workers that work directly with the Brandon School Division and have access to interpretation services. And if someone wants to connect with the community, we will connect them with Tryzub,” said Holt.

On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a statement to mark two years since the invasion of Ukraine began, saying today “serves as a reminder of what Ukraine is fighting for – the values of freedom, justice, and democracy.”

Canada’s support for Ukraine is “unwavering and unequivocal,” Trudeau’s statement continued. “We will defend a future for Ukraine that’s written by Ukrainians. We will defend a Ukraine that stands strong and free. And we will be with Ukraine in this courageous fight for as long as it takes.”

Krykavska said her focus will stay the same — keeping the momentum going to raise money, and making sure people don’t forget about the Ukrainians fighting for their lives.

“We are very exhausted, yes. Tired, yes,” said Krykavska.

“But we can’t keep ourselves feeling exhausted and tired, because the guys who are standing on the front line are more exhausted and more tired, and they don’t have the opportunity to sleep in the comfort of their home.

“So, we have no right to put our hands down until we actually celebrate the victory.”

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

» X: @enviromichele