'My family is not safe': B.C. woman documents travels through home country of Ukraine
On Thursday, Langford, B.C., woman Alla Pavlikhin’s best friend was laid to rest in Ukraine.
"His name was Sergey Veretennikov," she told CTV News on Friday.
He was killed on Sunday fighting just outside of Kyiv, Ukraine, when a Russian rocket hit his platoon.
"He died as a hero defending his home, his country," said the grieving friend.
Pavlikhin and her husband just returned to Canada after spending a month in their home city of Kyiv.
Months before, Pavlikhin and her daughter, Lia, embarked on a fundraising effort, raising more than $33,000 by selling perogies and art, all of which went towards a government organization that helps Ukrainians called Come Back Alive.
"My family is not safe," said Pavlikhin. "We are losing people in my family."
The majority of her family lives in Kyiv.
"I can’t just sit and watch," she said.
Alla Pavlikhin is pictured with her best friend Sergey Verentennikov around 10 years ago.
Pavlikhin has created a YouTube channel to document what she saw on her trip into central Ukraine. The latest video shows how bombed out the city of Bucha is, just outside of Kyiv.
"The Russian army bombs mostly civilian cities," she said.
Devastation can be seen everywhere. In the commentary throughout the video, Pavlikhin talks about how heart-breaking it is to see the city in the state it is now.
VOLUNTEER WORK
While in Kyiv, Pavlikhin and her husband volunteered their time at an animal rescue facility. It’s a facility that is being overwhelmed by animals that have lost their owners due to the ongoing war.
Pavlikhin’s husband focused on repairing the worn-out kennels while Pavlikhin took on dog walking duties. That is where she met an injured dog named Maya.
"She got bombed, pretty much," said Pavlikhin.
The explosion sent multiple shards of glass into the dog's body and caused it to walk with a twisted leg. Maya has since made the long journey to Canada.
Maya the dog is shown at her new home in Langford, B.C. (CTV News)
"Now she’s a new Canadian," said Pavlikhin.
The Langford woman says her family's fundraising efforts will continue until the war is over in Ukraine.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
DEVELOPING Live updates from the Trump hush money trial: Stormy Daniels, bookkeeper testify
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Boeing 737 catches fire and skids off the runway at a Senegal airport, injuring 10 people
A Boeing 737-300 plane carrying 85 people skidded off a runway at the airport in Dakar, Senegal's capital, injuring 10 people, according to the transport minister, an airline safety group and footage from a passenger that showed the aircraft on fire.
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
Man accused of killing two children at Quebec daycare to stand trial in April 2025
The man accused of murdering two children and injuring six others after a city bus crashed into a Montreal-area daycare is scheduled to stand trial over five weeks beginning in April 2025.