As the Russian war in Ukraine hits the two-year mark, refugee Alla Kuranda, who currently lives in Saskatchewan, recalls the emotions of being forced to leave her home.
Kuranda says she had everything back home but had to leave it all behind and flee with her family two weeks after the attacks began on Feb. 24, 2022.
“My memories are about happy life, about my relatives who are in Ukraine now, about my house … I don’t know, about all the best I had in my life,” she said.
She moved to Canada in October 2022. She did not think she would be here as long as she has and the decision did not come easy as many of her family members including her parents and siblings are still in Ukraine.
“They don’t want to leave Ukraine, It’s really hard to be here now; to be here with displaced Ukrainians and it’s hard to be there in Ukraine, it’s incomparable, but it’s not easy, to anyone,” she said.
On Saturday, many gathered at the Legislative Building in Regina for a vigil to mark the grim anniversary and the lives lost. Saskatchewan Senator Denise Batters says the war hits very close to home – her grandparents are Ukrainian immigrants.
“Everyone can relate to that because they’re fighting right now in Ukraine for the world’s democracy, not just their own country,” she said.
Many displaced Ukrainians have made Saskatchewan their home with some moving to Saskatoon and others to Regina. In 2022, shortly after the war began, 3,000 refugees reportedly landed in the province.
– with files from Global’s Moosa Imran