Feb. 24 marks a full year since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, an anniversary many Ukrainians acknowledge with anger, sadness, fear and hope.
Yaroslav Lozowchuk has lived in Saskatchewan for almost 75 years after his parents immigrated from Eastern Europe. He still has family in the Old Country and regularly monitors the unfolding calamity.
“It’s a tragedy because of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s ideological nonsense,” he said. “(But) in terms of Ukrainians, they have put themselves on the map and shown their ability to organize and defend their way of life and their right to exist, which Putin threatened to destroy.”
Lozowchuk stays in touch with his family and knows people are afraid. Their main concern is never knowing when a bomb will strike their house. Yet, they are also “angry as hell” at the Russians for attempting to destroy them.
“And they’re going to fight to the end. And they have no choice; it’s either death or complete genocidal destruction,” he stated.
Lozowchuk has supported his countrymen as best he can. He has contributed financially to humanitarian activities and supported his church with housing initiatives and helped Ukrainians integrate into Canadian society.
Peace can only happen if Russia pulls out of the country and respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity, but Putin is only interested in expansion because he has imperial ambitions, he continued.
“… but he is losing the war; that’s obvious. And now he has the West against him completely unified … ,” Lozowchuk said.
Canadians must realize that Putin’s genocidal destruction of Ukraine is similar to what occurred during the Second World War in Europe, asserted Lozowchuk. He commended Canadians for supporting the beleaguered country and encouraged them to press the federal government to give more, especially weapons.
“Ukraine, either they’ll win, or they’ll die. It’s as simple as that. And it’s tragic, especially in our day, to be dealing with it,” he added. “But it’s inspiring in the fact people are willing to die for things like freedom and the willingness to live the life they so choose.”
For Sergii Kovalchuk, he says this war didn’t start in 2022 but in 2014 after Russia seized Crimea and assisted paramilitary units in capturing provinces in Eastern Ukraine. Russia’s full-scale invasion last February only escalated the situation.
Kovalchuk moved to Moose Jaw 10 years ago before that initial invasion but still has family living in a town 16 kilometres from the Russian border. His father and brothers remain, while his mother fled to Saskatchewan last year to stay with him. She hopes to return — if the situation improves.
“They are shelling every day around the town (and) destroying infrastructure. They are especially targeting farmers, who are working cross-border,” he said.
Kovalchuk’s family is safer now than when the invasion began because from February to April 2022, he had no communication with them. However, communications were re-established after the Ukrainian army regained the area.
Canada has gone a good job of welcoming Ukrainians since many people have found jobs after arriving here, he continued. He urged Canadians not to think of Ukrainians as refugees but as temporary visitors.
One issue Kovalchuk wishes Canada would address is the alleged propaganda that Russian broadcasters are spreading. For example, many Canadians support Russia and blame Ukraine and the West for the war because of misinformation.
He noted that the United States and European Union have attempted to clean up this issue, but Canada has failed, especially in Toronto and Vancouver.
“With the embassies, if they have over 300 people working there, it’s a spy nest,” he said.
Kovalchuk added that Russia remains a “dire threat to Canada” because it claims most of the Arctic as its own and will fight over that territory.
