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Ukraine: Ukrainian Canadians ‘angry’ | CTV News

Ukrainian Canadians are furious with the latest developments along the border between Ukraine and Russia, according to two community leaders.

Late on Monday evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing two pro-Russian separatist regions in eastern Ukraine as independent entities and signed a decree ordering troops to enter these areas with the task of “Peacekeeping”.

The move was seen as the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and drew international condemnation.

“Everybody – quite honestly – lied that out of all the talk, the diplomatic effort and the discussion of sanctions, that Putin went ahead and recognized more than just the two lands. small… but also that he’s currently sending troops there,” Marc Shwec, chairman of the Committee of Ukraine’s Commission, told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview on Tuesday.

Yuri S. Broda, president of the Ukrainian Youth Association of Canada, agrees with Schwec that Ukrainians in Canada are angry with Russia and the Putin regime.

“[Ukrainian-Canadians are] angry,” he told CTV News Channel. “They cannot see how this can happen in the 21st century, by violating all international norms of the liberal Western order, using force to change borders in Europe. . It was shocking.”

“The only risk” [Ukraine poses] for Russia and the Putin regime is a political regime, because having a democratic, free, Westernized society right next door puts his entire power structure at risk.”

Canada has the third highest population of Ukraine in the world, behind only Ukraine and Russia. Shwec said the current situation has many Ukrainian Canadians concerned about their loved ones.

“Everybody is bringing family members back to Ukraine,” he said.

“Communication is flexible. Someone calls every day. There are people Skype with their family everyday. “

Dmytro Malyk, vice president of the Manitoba section of the Ukrainian Canadian Parliament, told CTV News Winnipeg that his 58-year-old aunt had been called up to the army as a doctor and his mother had been advised to stock up on medication. and other things. provide in advance of a possible invasion.

“I am very worried,” he said. “I care a lot about my parents, my relatives, but also about Ukraine in general, because I have a lot of friends who live in different parts of Ukraine.”

Malyk said he watched Putin’s entire speech on Monday and was “appalled” by the amount of misinformation.

“I made myself watch Putin’s entire speech. It was very painful,” he said. “It was painful, but I had to do it because I had to know how my loved ones, how my parents were feeling at that time in Ukraine.”

Before this latest development, the United States has imposed heavy sanctions on Russian banks and oligarchs. The UK has also sanctioned five Russian banks.

Meanwhile, the European Union has initially ordered a series of sanctions against Ukraine, while Germany has halted the certification process of pipelines from Russia.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the “first round” of sanctions against Russia, including barring Canadians from making any financial transactions with two regions that Putin has acknowledged are independence and sent 460 troops to Latvia.

Broda said the reaction of Western leaders so far has been “disappointing”.

“They were slow to absorb, waiting for Putin to make the first move, as opposed to taking a firm stance against it,” he said.

The Committee to Stand with Ukraine held a rally Tuesday night in Toronto with speakers from other community groups to show support for the Ukrainian people and call for further sanctions against the Ukraine. with Russia.

“We need that push back now,” Shwec said.

Featuring files from CTVNews.ca Writers Christy Somos and Sarah Turnbull, as well as The Associated Press and CTV News Winnipeg

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