Ukrainian-Manitobans say international aid for Kyiv is urgent: ‘It needs to happen now’ – Winnipeg
Since Ukrainian refugees arrived in Manitoba earlier this year, Mykhaylo Kashyn has been communicating with his family in Kyiv whenever possible.
“We do our regular checks like morning and evening,” he says. « If there’s an air raid, obviously I don’t send any message because they have to keep them safe. »
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Kashyn left Ukraine with his wife and son three years ago and has lived in Manitoba ever since.
He has watched his old neighborhood of Bucha turn into a war zone while his family members who still live there struggle with limited power and the constant threat of bombardment.
« Imagine we are here and a missile flies and hits the building 700 meters from here, that’s the life of my family members. »
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He says his family lives days without electricity or running water, using homemade candles to cook as missiles hit buildings around them.
“The Russian missiles destroyed about 50% of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure,” says Nick Krawetz, a volunteer with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress in Manitoba.
« It caused widespread blackouts, lack of heating, etc., lack of electricity, lack of running water, and my family in Kyiv certainly suffers as well. »
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Krawetz says roughly 91.00 Ukrainian refugees arrived in the province with others en route without intervention.
“The Russian military is getting more and more desperate because they are losing and they cannot bear these losses without somehow going back to these barbaric attacks on civilians,” he says.
« They continue to target energy infrastructure because they know it will create a lot of havoc on the civilian population. »
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Despite the resilience of the population, Krawetz says help is needed immediately.
« It can’t wait weeks, months, whatever it is, it has to happen now. »
Until the situation changes, Kashyn plans to do what he can to help from Manitoba.
« I’m alive, safe and here so I can do whatever I can to help my countrymen. It’s not just me. All Ukrainians do the same here.
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