B.C. humanitarian group vows to keep fundraising to support Ukraine
For the past year and a half, Ruslan Tymcyk has been leading a tank brigade on the front lines in the east of Ukraine, defending his country against the Russian invasion.
“We just keep going and we are not going to give up,” said Tymcyk.
He and his fellow soldiers are confident that Ukraine will emerge victorious.
“Yes, morale is very good,” said Tymcyk.
Tymcyk chose to serve his country in the heart of the battle in the east but the war effort is evident in every community throughout Ukraine.
The city of Kivertski in the west has directed 80 per cent of its budget towards the military effort, including purchasing 25 pickup trucks on their way to the frontlines.
“These trucks will be outfitted with anti-drone artillery systems,” said Volodyr Hetman, a platoon commander the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The team from Vancouver Island has come to Ukraine to give much-needed humanitarian aid to communities throughout the west of the country.
In the region of Olyka the team was show what was the result of a community effort to protect children during a Russian missile attack.
“The community came together, volunteered their time to actually dig this out and create this bomb shelter for their students,” said Bob Beckett, who is leading the team.
It took two months throughout the summer to build and because of the safety measure, students were able to return to school this year.
“I think one of the things that we heard from a few communities was that the children are our future,” said Christine Lervold, a volunteer with the team.
Throughout the five days spent in the war-torn country, the team travelled to five communities, toured two hospitals and met with as many school districts. All while delivering tens of thousands of dollars in humanitarian aid to the country.
Along with that aid came a simple message: “To make sure the people of Ukraine know that we are there to help them through this,” said Beckett.
The team says its work isn’t done.
“We are going to continue with our fundraising,” said Bruce Brown, a volunteer team member.
“We need to continue to stand by them and continue to support them,” said Lervold.
A commitment that is appreciated by the Ukrainian people. People like Tymcyk who knows first hand what is at stake if Russia wins the war.
“We need this help more than ever,” said Tymcyk. “I hope with all this support we receive from the world community we can finally achieve that long-lasting peace that we so wish for.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they're now named Scouting America
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Rape, terror and death at sea: How a boat carrying Rohingya children, women and men capsized
In March, Indonesian officials and local fishermen rescued 75 people from the overturned hull of a boat off the coast of Indonesia. Until now, little was known about why the boat capsized.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
Whooping cough epidemic sweeps Europe, health agency says
European countries have reported a surge in whooping cough cases in 2023 and the first quarter of 2024, with 10 times as many identified as in each of the previous two years.