As the situation in Ukraine continues to escalate following a Russian military attack yesterday, southern Albertans are keeping a close eye and ear on the unfolding crisis.
For those with family and friends in Ukraine home like Andrew Chernevych, there is worry over their safety.
Chernevych said his father lives in the western part of the country, and had heard about the initial attack on the radio. Other relatives and friends in Kyiv had a first-hand account.
“They learned about that because of the aviation noise and explosions,” he said, adding basements aren’t common in their area.
“They were worrying, (asking) ‘Where would we go?’ if we go in this kind of dugout over there and there’s an explosion we might be just under the rubble.”
Chernevych has lived in Alberta for more than 20 years and worked in Lethbridge for the last 11, after growing up in the city of Chernivtsi.
Although tensions have been mounting in recent weeks, he wasn’t sure an attack would actually happen.
“Just to launch such a frontal assault with the regular forces and in such scale, I didn’t think that would be possible.”
Vita Kurylo, who moved to Lethbridge in 2016 to study, is communication with her family a couple of times per day. They also live in western Ukraine a few hundred kilometres away from the Polish border. She said this area is a little bit “calmer.”
“My family is staying home, they are trying to help Ukrainian army, helping the community and see what they can do,” she explained.
“Nobody is leaving.”
She urges the importance of supporting Ukrainian forces during this time, adding many Albertans have Ukrainian roots.
“We were hoping until the end that the western (actions) would be enough to stop Russia. Well, we have what we have.”
“People are ready to fight, people are ready to defend the country.”