Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston addresses a crowd of Ukrainian supporters in front of Red Deer City Hall on Sunday. (rdnewsNOW)

By Sheldon Spackman

Red Deer Rally

Central Albertans come together in support of Ukraine

Feb 27, 2022 | 2:31 PM

Hundreds of central Albertans gathered at Red Deer City Hall Park on Sunday to call for an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to show support for Ukrainians.

Event organizer Alex Ivanenko, of Red Deer, says those in attendance are all feeling the same pain inside.

“I haven’t got off the phone with my family in Ukraine for the last how many days, and they’re constantly telling me, ‘All we need is your guys’ support’. This is where people ask me, ‘How can we give? How can we give?’”

Alex Ivanenko, of Red Deer, speaks to fellow Ukrainian supporters in front of Red Deer City Hall on Sunday. (rdnewsNOW)

According to the federal officials, the Government of Canada will match all eligible donations—not exceeding $100,000—made by individual Canadians to the Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal between February 24, 2022 and March 18, 2022, up to a maximum of $10 million.

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Officials with the Canadian Red Cross say money raised will enable the organization and Red Crescent Movement to respond to humanitarian needs generated by almost eight years of conflict, as well as preparedness and response efforts due to heightened tensions in Ukraine.

Officials say the support could include preparedness, immediate and ongoing relief efforts, long-term recovery, resiliency, and other critical humanitarian activities as needs arise, both in Ukraine and surrounding countries, including supporting populations displaced.

Ivanenko says he’s thankful his relatives in Ukraine are still safe for the time being.

“They have air raid sirens five times a night. Everyone’s in bullet-proof jackets. I don’t know how you call that safe, but they’re not getting shelled as of yet,” he explains. “I talk to them every day. I talk to my family that’s in the central Ukraine, in Kyiv, I have family there too.”

He says central Alberta’s Ukrainian community will continue to support Ukraine in a humanitarian way.

“We need to get those boys medical supplies. There’s a lot of people in distress. That’s what the main thing is. People want to see action,” he exclaims.

(rdnewsNow)

Vitalii Varvaruk, a Ukrainian Red Deerian, reiterates that Sunday’s rally is all about showing support for and helping Ukraine.

“Canada is doing a lot but we can always do more,” says Varvaruk. “I encourage everyone just to talk to people. Whatever they can do, donate money or just spread the words.”

He says Russia’s invasion of Ukraine doesn’t benefit anyone but Vladimir Putin, his inner circle and his regime.

“It’s a threat to our western democracy,” warns Varvaruk. “Ukraine chose to live the western European democratic way and since we made some progress in 2014, we started to receive aggression because Ukraine is in the middle of west and east and it’s a big threat. Western society would be a big threat because it will spread to Russia and Putin’s afraid, so he’s doing everything he can just to keep his power.”

According to the Associated Press, Russian President Vladimir Putin put his nuclear forces on increased alert on Sunday in what was described as an unprecedented escalation of tensions with the West. This means Russia’s massive and conventional military assault on Ukraine entered its fourth day with fighting in the streets of the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv.

Elsewhere, the secretary-general of the United Nations opened the most recent annual meeting of global leaders with a bleak assessment of the planet’s state of affairs. Humanity, he said, faced “a moment of truth.”

Defence Minister Anita Anand says a combat mission in Ukraine isn’t on the table at the moment, but Canada is eager to help defend its ally against Russian military aggression in other ways. Anand says this country is sending experts who can help with defence in a 21st-century war.

Canada is also sending another 25-million-dollars worth of defensive equipment to Ukraine, including helmets, body armour and gas masks.

Varvaruk notes that anyone who can help Ukraine financially in a humanitarian way can also do so through the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, www.ucc.ca.

(With files from the Canadian Press)