Ukrainian Manitobans anxiously watch Russian military presence grow on Ukraine’s border – Winnipeg | The Canadian News

While tensions between Russia and Ukraine remain high, Ukrainian-Manitobans are keeping a close eye on the situation.

There are more than 180,000 Ukrainian Manitobans, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.

Winnipeg native Nick Krawetz and his wife have ties to Ukraine. Krawetz’s grandparents immigrated to Canada almost a century ago, while his wife moved to Manitoba just ten years ago.

“I am an active member of Manitoba’s Ukrainian community and the whole community is concerned. “Let’s be honest,” Krawetz told Global News.

Read more:

Canada deploys special forces to Ukraine amid growing tensions with Russia

“My wife’s family said they would stay in Kiev, but they do have a backup plan if things get as serious as the forecasts say,” Krawetz said.

Story continues below ad

“Ukraine’s second largest city is Kharkiv, which has 1.5 million people and is located 35 kilometers from the Russian border. It’s the same distance between Winnipeg and Selkirk. So you can imagine 127,000 troops in Selkirk aiming their tanks and artillery at Winnipeg. ”

“Ukraine needs to be in a position to defend itself and at the moment it is not,” he says. “This is really what the community here in Manitoba says you know. Ukrainians say do not come fight for us. We will fight ourselves, but we need the necessary tools to fight. ”

He appeals to Manitobans to call their MPs to tell them to support Ukraine.

Read more:

Ukrainian Canadian worries over Russia conflict: ‘I’m scared of my family’

“It affects everyone who cares about international peace and security and who cares about democracy, sovereignty and international law.”

Ostap Skrypnyk in Winnipeg is with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Manitoba Provincial Council.

“There’s an awful lot of anxiety,” Skrypnyk said. “Putin does it, it’s designed to be intimidating, and it works right? I mean it scares a lot of people. ”

“International borders and smaller countries have just as much right to exist freely as anyone else,” he said. “People have family there, they have friends of military age … they are all prepared for war.”

Story continues below ad

Both Skrypnyk and Krawetz agree that they would like to see Canada provide Ukraine with the necessary tools if the situation does amount to war, and before it is too late.

© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.



Reference-globalnews.ca

Leave a Comment