‘We will win’: Former Londoner vows to stay in Ukraine until the end on war anniversary – London | 24CA News

For former Londoner Volodymyr Tretyak and his spouse, there was no query when it got here to preventing for his or her residence nation of Ukraine in opposition to Russia’s invasion.

But after a 12 months of seemingly constant turmoil, loss and tragedy, he says that whereas their spirits in the direction of victory stay excessive, he can’t assist however discover how his as soon as acquainted territory has grow to be nearly unrecognizable.

“There’s no rules, no schedule, (just) missiles from Russia’s rocket attacks,” he stated.

2:35Russia-Ukraine struggle: A timeline of the year-long battle

Friday marked the grim anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which started when Putin ordered his troops into the neighbouring nation on Feb. 24, 2022, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee their properties within the face of Europe’s largest and deadliest struggle for the reason that Second World War.

Tretyak, who had retired and moved to the western Ukraine metropolis of Lviv after spending 15 years in London, remembered listening to the warning of a possible Russian invasion, saying he by no means thought it will occur.

But as a risk grew to become actuality, he and his spouse vowed to face by their folks among the many rising variety of Ukrainians ready to face the Russian invasion head-on. But in reflecting over this previous 12 months, Tretyak stated the loss has been unimaginable.

“I have lost friends, relatives, all fighting against the Russian invasion and every day we have more,” he stated.

3:38‘We are tired from funerals’: Daily burials in Lviv after a 12 months of struggle in Ukraine

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy referred to as the sombre anniversary “the longest day of our lives.” But as morning broke on a day of reflection and commemoration, Zelensky pledged to push for victory in 2023, phrases that Tretyak stated can already be felt on the battlefields.

“We’re pretty optimistic…. It’s really different to what the mood was one year ago when the disaster started,” he stated. “As I said before, there has been lots of loss for humans, for civilians and military people. But now more than ever, Ukrainian people are pretty sure we will never lose.”

5:09Ukrainians mirror, look forward after one 12 months of struggle

He added that he believes one of many causes Ukrainians can nonetheless see the sunshine on the finish of the tunnel is the “overwhelming” assist from different international locations internationally.

“The United States, Canada, Poland, Great Britain, our whole world is helping us to fight this deadly invasion,” he stated.

Canada is amongst 38 international locations which have put ahead a decision calling for peace and for Russia to be “held accountable for the dire human rights and humanitarian consequences of the ongoing war.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly stated to the UN meeting on the eve of the anniversary that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “losing his grip on reality.” The assertion got here forward of a vote by all UN member states on whether or not to sentence Moscow and name on it to finish the struggle.

Additionally, Joly condemned Putin’s nationwide tackle during which he introduced on Tuesday that he was “ending some of Russia’s co-operation with the United States on nuclear safety.” Putin has additionally argued Ukraine’s democratically elected authorities is definitely an “illegitimate neo-Nazi regime.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau first introduced the federal government’s $151.7-million Ukraine help package deal in June 2022. Recently, Ottawa introduced greater than $32 million in safety help for Ukraine on Friday.

The funds embody $7.5 million for demining efforts, $13 million for “accountability efforts” that embody addressing conflict-related sexual violence, and $12 million to counter chemical, organic, radiological and nuclear threats.

Roughly $9.7 million of the announcement stems from the help package deal, the federal government stated in a news launch.

Trudeau remarked that the results of Canada and its allies not supporting Ukraine in its defence in opposition to Russian forces “could be devastating” for the entire world.

2:00Trudeau warns Putin’s actions in Ukraine threatening post-WWII international peace

But whereas Tretyak stated that it’s exhausting to inform for certain when the battle might be resolved, he stated that regardless, they plan on dwelling there completely and “staying until the end of the fight.”

“The future in our fight for independence is 100 per cent, we will win,” he stated. “We will never lose Ukraine.”

— with information from Global News’ Andrew Graham, Aaron D’Andrea and The Canadian Press.

&copy 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.