Moncton’s Ukrainian community reflects on 1,000 days of war

The Ukrainian community in Moncton is reflecting on 1,000 days of war, and how that has impacted their lives, as well as their loved ones.

“One thousand days of resilience. One thousand days of bravery. One thousand days of sacrifice.” That was the message the Ukrainian Club of Moncton posted on its Facebook page Tuesday.

Russian troops invaded eastern Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, 1,000 days ago.

Club president Nataliia Haidash said the terror has never stopped and the war is very much still going on.

“Just this week Russia sent nearly 200 missiles all over Ukraine. They are targeting civilian infrastructure. They want to destroy our power plants. They want to leave people in the dark and cold into the winter,” said Haidash.

Haidash said there are 2,000 Ukrainians living in the Greater Moncton area, over 1,800 have moved here since the fighting began.

Olesia Bulenok has lived in Moncton for six years and travelled home two months ago to visit her mother in the central part of the country.

“Every night you have to go in the basement to hide because next day you have to go to work,” said Bulenok. “It is scary. I was there just for five days and to be honest I wasn’t sleeping a lot.”

Roughly 18 per cent of Ukraine is occupied by Russia according to Dalhousie University political scientist Robert Huish.

Huish said it has become a war of attrition and with the upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump as U.S. President, there could be a ceasefire, and ultimately a defeat for Ukraine.

“Donald Trump is going to have no ambitions about putting any sort of resources into Ukraine for a war against Russia and he’s been very clear of that,” said Huish. “He’s seeking a peace treaty of sorts between Russia and Ukraine which would mean that any gains that Russia has made into Ukraine they will continue to hold.”

Huish believes Trump’s victory means the war will probably end quicker than many experts would have predicted under Kamala Harris.

“And the nature of its ending will probably be unpredictable in a sense that Trump will likely appease Putin more, so then actually give any sort of stability, credit or support to Volodymyr Zelenskyy,” said Huish.

When the fighting does eventually stop, Bulenok thinks many Ukrainians living in Moncton will return.

“It still feels like home so I believe a lot of people will go back,” said Bulenok. “A lot of people had a decent life there. They had businesses, they had education and good work.”

Haidash doesn’t know when the war will end, but she believes it will end with a Russian defeat.

“I can not think about any other ending of this war because a victory for Ukraine is not just a victory for our nation, for our country, it’s a victory for all of Europe, for all of the democratic world,” said Haidash. “If we let Russia win, take over an independent state in the middle of Europe, there will be other countries.”

Koliada 2024: Ukrainian Christmas Fest

The Ukrainian Club of Moncton will be holding their annual Christmas market and celebration on Sunday, Dec. 1 at the Coverdale Centre in Riverview.

It will be a day of Ukrainian culture and traditions with food, music, dance, vendors and workshops.

“We started getting ready a couple of months ago,” said Bulenok. “There’s going to be a lot of tasty food.”

Funds raised will go toward essential supplies for troops back in Ukraine.

This year’s goal is to send tactical medical kits complete with gauze and tourniquets to the soldiers.

“We want to raise at least $10,000 to purchase a big batch and ship it from the United States to Ukraine and then to front lines,” said Haidash.

The Coverdale Centre is located at 50 Runneymeade Drive in Riverview’s east end.

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