Greater Sudbury’s Ukrainian community is rallying Feb. 6 to support their homeland as tension continues to mount in the Russia-Ukraine standoff.
As the threat of an invasion looms, organizers of the rally, which they have deemed Stand with Ukraine, said that Ukraine is at war, and has been fighting to defend its people, identity, and freedom.
Russia recently amassed more than 100,000 troops to Ukraine’s border, according to media reports. Troops are equipped with everything from tanks and artillery to ammunition and air power.
Sonia Peczeniuk, a member of Greater Sudbury’s Ukrainian community, said the Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Canada, an umbrella organization for all Ukrainian organizations, issued a call earlier this week to rally in support of Ukraine.
“On very short notice, they have asked for all major communities to hold a small rally, whatever they can manage, to stand in support of Ukraine, but also to thank Canada for the support this country has provided, and hopefully will continue to provide,” said Peczeniuk. “We are not protesting. We are not marching. What we are doing is trying to show support for Ukraine, and also thank the Canadian public.”
On Feb. 6, participants will gather along the sidewalk at 40 Notre Dame Ave. at noon to show their support. It’s not just for Ukrainians, either, said Peczeniuk. It’s for anyone who wants to show their support.
Organizers of the rally will be adhering to COVID-19 protocols.
“We want to be practical, and to protect people, but we also want to be part of a nationwide effort to show support. The big thing is to educate the public about what's really going on, and that it is scary.”
The Ukrainian community in Greater Sudbury, which she said is about 7,000 people strong, is getting older, she said. Most are seniors.
Peczeniuk’s mother is 95 years old. She lived in Ukraine and was displaced following the Second World War. She now lives in Greater Sudbury.
“People like my mother, who is 95 and has dementia, talk about the fact that if Russia invades, God help the people. (Russian president Vladamir) Putin will punish the Ukrainian people, because he doesn’t want them to be independent.”
Ukrainians across the world have been closely watching the developments there.
“It has been an unfair fight right from the get-go,” Peczeniuk said. “Ukraine was never given lethal weapons, so it's like fighting a well-armed army with slingshots.”
Nor does Ukraine have the infrastructure for military support, for hospitals, or for rehabilitation, she said.
With a background in health care, Peczeniuk said she led a mission to Ukraine for rehabilitative specialists to help at a children’s treatment centre, because “they really don’t have that.”
She said people haven’t yet thought about humanitarian aid, and the fact there are already 1.5 million people displaced because of the Russian invasion of Crimea. If Russia invades further, it will be “catastrophic.”
The Ukrainian community is deeply concerned with the events happening right now, said Halia Buba, who is also involved with the Ukrainian Cultural Centre on Notre Dame Avenue.
“We are very, very upset and saddened by what's going on,” Buba said. “This is nothing new for us, though. Russia invaded Ukraine eight years ago, and Russia has been infringing on Ukraine’s freedom for centuries.”
It’s sad watching as each day passes, the threat of a further invasion grows, she said.
“What a sad situation, to have this ominous cloud hanging over you every day, to try to go about your normal life with this constant threat,” she said.
Ukraine’s residents, young and old, are joining territorial defence units, they are training how to use weapons, she said. People are planning escape routes and underground hiding areas.
What Ukraine really needs right now is defensive weapons, she said. It’s a message the Ukrainian communities across Canada are trying to impress upon the country’s leaders.
“I know we've sent vests and goggles, but we really need these weapons,” she said.
An emergency Parliamentary debate resulted in a $120-million loan from Canada to the Ukraine, she said, but it can’t be used to purchase military equipment.
The federal government is still assessing additional requests for assistance from Ukraine, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the media this week. That includes extending and expanding the Canadian military training mission UNIFIER, providing defensive weapons and equipment, and imposing sanctions to raise the cost of any further Russian action.
Buba called Putin a “bully” and a “dangerous, violent aggressor” who is afraid of Ukraine’s process of democratization.
“He’s worried that democratization will spread to Russia,” she said.
In 2021, Ukraine celebrated the 30th anniversary of its independence. Buba said she is praying they can celebrate many more years of Ukrainian independence.
Buba said her mother and sister will be rallying outside the Russian embassy in Toronto on Feb. 6, joining the thousands across the country expected to take part.
“We're hoping that people will come out, not just Ukrainians, but also non Ukrainians who feel strongly against Russia's invasion of Ukraine,” said Buba. “We're hoping that people will come out and show their support that they stand with Ukraine, and it will be a part of a cross-Canada campaign.”
