The impact of a possible invasion of Ukraine is being felt around the world – including here in Regina.
Olena Shvian, the President of the Ukrainian National Federation, Regina Chapter is concerned for her family who lives in the Ukraine.
“It’s just so unpredictable,” Shyian said. “My family lives across the field from Boryspil Airport, which is the main air gate for Ukraine and it scares me a lot.”
Her mother, sister and aunt live near the area.
There have been reports of a buildup of troops and tanks near the border between Russia and Ukraine.
While economic sanctions will be in place from Canada and much of the western world, Shyian said that Russia has very little disregard for any sanctions.
Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in a border conflict since 2014 when Russians and pro-Russian forces invaded and annexed Crimea. Tensions between the countries have remained high but appear to be boiling over in recent weeks.
“As we can see for the last eight years, Russian soldiers (and the) Russian army is brutally taking care of everything … and they don’t care about sanctions. It doesn’t do anything,” Shyian said.
Shyian said she’s hopeful Canada will take in refugees but hopes it doesn’t come to that.
“Of course, none of us want that to happen,” Shyian said. “We would rather see help sent to Ukraine to protect the borders to Ukraine there rather that taking people overseas.”