Members of the Ukrainian community in Montreal are in shock following the start of a Russian military attack in Ukraine, which had already killed several people in this Eastern European country on Thursday, sowing concern even in the Quebec metropolis, where a mobilization is organized.
Russian air and ground strikes have killed dozens since the start of this offensive, announced overnight from Wednesday to Thursday by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Since then, Russia has notably conquered a military airport near Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, while fighting has broken out near Chernobyl. Bombings have also been recorded from east to west in this country of 44 million inhabitants.
” [Vladimir] Putin was getting ready; it was going to happen. And today is the day. Soldiers died and it’s very sad,” sighs Angel Zytynsky, who has managed the Ukrainian market Zytynsky’s Deli for 36 years in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie. In the middle of the call, Thursday morning, she stops for a moment. A customer came into her business to support her. “She says she is praying for us,” Ms. Zytynsky then says, her voice hoarse with sadness.
“Ukraine is a good country; they are a good people. We don’t want to go to war, ”continues the lady, who deplores the refusal of the Russian president to be open to a diplomatic solution to this conflict. “It’s better to talk, but he doesn’t want to listen,” said Ms. Zytynsky, whose family members are still stuck in Ukraine.
This Russian offensive, which was widely condemned by the world political elite, led to the departure in extremis of thousands of residents of this Eastern European country. This crisis has had echoes even in the Montreal region, which has more than 35,000 residents with Ukrainian origins, according to the 2016 Canadian census. Canada is also the third country with the largest Ukrainian population in the world. , after Ukraine and Russia, i.e. more than 1.3 million people, in 2016.
“We are very disturbed, troubled and touched. It’s a terrible situation. I wish I had never experienced such a situation in my life. Ukraine is invaded by a mad man (mad man). It’s terrible,” says Father Ihor Kutash, of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Montreal, in an interview. When joined by The dutyhe was then preparing to organize a prayer in support of his people.
“We never really thought about how much history can repeat itself and here is where we are”, drops for his part Michael Forian-Zytynsky, eight years after the invasion of Crimea by Russia, in 2014 He and his friends of Ukrainian origin remained hopeful since the resumption of tensions between Russia and Ukraine that these would be resolved through diplomatic channels. The military invasion thus had the effect of a “shock”, he relates.
“Of course it concerns us and we are sad to see that in 2022, a country can openly, in the eyes of the world, invade an independent country in a shameless way. It’s a shock,” also notes the lawyer and permanent consul of Ukraine in Montreal, Eugen Czolij.
Mobilization
In recent days, several economic sanctions have been put in place against Russia, notably by the United States, European countries and Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also announced new sanctions Thursday, following the start of strikes against Ukraine. Weapons have also been sent to Ukraine from various countries. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), however, did not plan on Thursday afternoon to deploy allied troops to protect Ukraine from the Russian threat.
“If ever Ukraine were to fall, it is clear that Russia would go further, so it is obvious that it is currently in the interest of the West to counter this invasion”, estimates Eugen Czolij. “Aggression is vicious and the situation will be decided now. It’s time to act” by providing more military equipment to this country, he insists.
” [L’Ukraine] has a people and an army determined to stop the invasion of Russia and it will be able to succeed, but it will take this mobilization of the West”, adds Mr. Eugen Czolij
A demonstration was also organized at 3 p.m. Thursday in front of McGill University on the initiative of three Ukrainian student associations in Montreal. “We are organizing this rally as a Ukrainian-Canadian community in Montreal to express our outrage at recent news of the continued Russian invasion of Ukraine. Canada and our allies must immediately institute strict sanctions against Russia and continue their military and economic assistance to Ukraine. Supporting Ukraine is supporting freedom,” the Facebook event reads.
A similar demonstration will also take place on Sunday afternoon, most likely in the city center, the Homework several members of Montreal’s Ukrainian community on Thursday.
“It’s a movement of solidarity that we feel not only in the Ukrainian community of Montreal, but all over the world,” notes Eugen Czolij. “It’s not so much a feeling of powerlessness, but more a feeling of mobilization,” he adds.