When air raid sirens first sounded on Feb. 24, 2022, Oleksandr Kovalchuk knew Russia’s war in Ukraine had started. He knew a full-scale war was inevitable after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, but many Ukrainians thought a full-scale invasion was impossible.
After rushing to safety and being left in the cold for around 20 hours, Kovalchuk called his father to check how he was doing.
“He was one of those who believed that this invasion could not happen. I could hear the same tremble as you hear in my voice now and he was clearly at a loss for words,” he said.
“All he managed to say was ‘Why? Why will they do this to us?’”
Dozens of people gathered at the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick on Feb. 24 to join in a candlelight vigil commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The vigil, named “365 Days of Resilience,” was organized by the Ukrainian Association of Fredericton and included the raising of the Ukrainian flag on the legislature grounds and the singing of its national anthem.
Kovalchuk hopes for the day he can return home and celebrate his country’s victory.
“It will be a warm sunny day among beautiful Ukrainian fields, scoured with blooming sunflowers,” he said. “All the villagers will be gathering on the sidewalks of the road paying the last tribute to their fellow fallen Ukrainians.”
Oksana Tesla, president of the Ukrainian Association of Fredericton, delivered a speech at the doors of the building, highlighting the pain many Ukrainians are facing back home.
“One year of heroic Ukrainian resistance and remarkable resilience in the face of the genocide [and] unspeakable crimes perpetrated by Russia against Ukraine,” she said.
“The unity, courage and bravery of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Ukrainian people … can defeat Russia and restore peace in Europe.”
Tesla arrived in Fredericton in 2017, but she committed herself to the Ukrainian community more than ever after the war started. She said she feels like that day never ended.
Tesla is grateful to Canadians for standing in solidarity with Ukraine but said there is more to be done.
“Despite all the crimes many countries, including Canada, still refuse to list Russia as a state supporter of terrorism,” she said.
Many who attended the vigil were Tesla’s fellow Ukrainians, but others were Canadians who wanted to support the cause, such as Natalie Daigle, who said every little sign of support from Canadians can make a difference.
“This might not necessarily feel completely like home, but the community does care. We’re trying to make it as homey for [Ukrainians] as possible,” she said.
Daigle said over the past year, she hosted a young Ukrainian woman to live at her home after she fled the war.
She said the woman has made the decision to return to Ukraine to be with her husband.
“Her husband is her life and everything, but on the other hand, I just want to keep her safe,” said Daigle.
Among the crowd were New Brunswick politicians like Military Affairs Minister Mary Wilson, former Fredericton West-Hanwell MLA Brian Macdonald and Fredericton Member of Parliament Jenica Atwin.
“We shouldn’t [have to] be here,” Atwin told the crowd, adding that gathering together is important because “no one wants to go through this alone.”
“One year, 365 days of death and destruction of once-thriving cities reduced to rubble, of families torn apart, of children having to endure the suffering of war.”
She said the federal government would continue to support Ukraine to ensure it wins the war and people can return to their homes.
“Nothing short of raising the Ukrainian flag in victory will be acceptable,” she said.
