By Keri-Lyn Gibbs
The Russian-Ukrainian conflict impacts people around the globe, and especially in Red Deer, where many lined the highway in support of the Ukrainian people. There have been several Peace Demonstrations all over the city this week including at least two at Gaetz and 19th Street, and one on Sunday at City Hall.
A local taxi driver who asked our reporter about one of these events, and hails from India, disclosed that he also knows an Indian Student from back home who is stranded in Ukraine and is eager to know his where-a-bouts.
One gentleman standing along the highway in solitary on Saturday evening, whose wife is Russian, expressed how it was important to stand for peace. He said:
“There are thousands of Russian people who want peace as well.”
A man named Vitalii, one of the organisers of the protest, stresses that this is not the fault of the Russian people, but the fault rests squarely on the shoulders of President Putin. He urges Canada to employ sanctions against Russia, and outlines the extensive damage, and human casualties in his comments.
Many attendees of Saturday’s Protest have loved ones in the warzone, and are spending every minute trying to get regular updates.
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Mariia Khimych also shared, through tears, how her relatives live in the Zhytomyr region and how they are in harm’s way.
A local Grandma brought her Grandkids to distribute Tim Horton’s to Ukrainians gathered to comfort each other citing her own Ukrainian heritage.
Local businesswoman, Iness Allan-Kojlo is one of many supporting organizational efforts to raise awareness about the plight of Ukrainians suffering a full scale invasion by President Putin. Before conducting interviews at Saturday’s demonstration along the road off Gaetz Avenue and 19 Street she urged sensitivity as some attendees had lost loved ones that same day. A GoFundMe was started by the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. #HelpUkraineNow – Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal
