As Ukraine’s president accuses invading Russian troops of committing the worst war crimes since the Second World War, a Nova Scotian man originally from the country under siege, is in Europe trying to help relatives escape.
Vlad Snytkin left for Warsaw, Poland two weeks ago with a few extra bags, filled with humanitarian aid for refugees who have made their way to the Polish capital.
He’s been staying in a hotel where approximately 30 other refugees have sought solace. He says hearing their stories is traumatizing.
“They share stories and their hands start shaking. Just to get them back to those memories, their hands are shaking,” he told Global News in a Zoom interview from a hotel room. “Even memories give them shivers and horror, and it’s horrible, but we need to hear those stories.”
He witnessed friends from the same village being able to reunite, but it was far from a happy reunion.
Thankfully, Snytkin’s 31-year-old niece and her two sons safely arrived in Warsaw several days ago after patiently waiting for his three-month old nephew to recover from pneumonia in a Ukrainian hospital.
- Mohamed Al-Fayed, whose son died with Princess Diana, accused of multiple rapes
- 12-year-old shoots, kills black bear attacking his dad in Wisconsin
- Hezbollah chief says Israel crossed ‘red lines’ with exploding device attacks
- Yellowstone Park tourist burns leg after going off trail near Old Faithful
-
![]()
Hezbollah leader calls device attacks ‘war crimes’ as Israel escalates attacks on Lebanon -
![]()
French woman at centre of mass rape case denounces husband, calls suspects “degenerates” -
![]()
Booby-trapped two-way radios used in 2nd round of deadly coordinated attacks in Lebanon -
![]()
Portugal wildfires: Emergency services pushed to limit as reinforcements arrive
“I feel such a relief that she is in Poland and that she is fine,” he says of his niece.
Get breaking National news
While there, Snytkin has been helping his niece and a family friend complete paperwork and visa applications to hopefully help get them to Nova Scotia.
He’s hopeful they will be soon be approved to come to Canada, but there’s been a delay with the applications. He says a document has been misplaced.
“The Canadian embassy is working on so many Ukrainian refugees, so probably there’s one document that got lost,” he says. “But, we can wait. At least they’re safe, so we can wait.”
Snytkin says he’s helping the Canadian Ukrainian Congress organize a celebration of Ukrainian culture back in Nova Scotia on April 23 to raise money for humanitarian efforts in his homeland.
Comments