'My wife and daughter are in safety': Dozens of Ukrainian refugees welcomed in Saskatoon

Dozens of Ukrainian refugees obtained a heat welcome from the Saskatoon Ukrainian neighborhood throughout rally at River Touchdown on Sunday. 

Organizers mentioned many have left behind their husbands, fathers and sons who're preventing on the frontlines of the struggle of their nation.

Victor Filipov was in a position to make it overseas together with his spouse Ulia and his two-year-old daughter. 

“I really feel that my spouse and daughter are in security,” Filipov mentioned. “We’re very blissful to be in Canada as a result of we're making our new life.”

The three fled Mariupol for the close by nation of Georgia earlier than arriving in Canada on April 28.

“Once we go away Maripol, a whole lot of homes demolished, no faculty, hospitals, no power, water, heating. All this destruction by Russian troopers,” he mentioned.

The Stand With Ukraine Rally drew in roughly 200 folks, who confirmed their solidarity with the nation going through Russian aggression.

A type of in attendance was Max Palichuk, who left Ukraine in 2008 however nonetheless has many household and pals again house.

“It’s fairly robust to get up each morning and see in the event that they’re on-line, in the event that they reply your texts, in any respect so it’s crucial to me that we convey as a lot consideration to Ukraine as attainable,” he mentioned.

The demonstration was one among many placed on throughout the nation by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

“We’re searching for the federal government to ship heavy armaments to Ukraine and for NATO to face as much as Russia,” mentioned Ukrainian Canadian Congress Saskatoon department Vice President Pat Tymchatyn.

Whereas many individuals on the rally have household and pals again in Ukraine, Tymchatyn sees the rally as an opportunity to convey folks collectively and have fun Ukrainian Tradition.

“The extra we’re collectively, the extra we really feel neighborhood assist,” she mentioned.

A number of individuals who attended the rally wore a conventional Ukrainian shirt known as a Vyshyvanka. Ukrainians might be celebrating Vyshyvanka Day on Thursday.