'Everybody is exhausted': Kitchener residents mark 3rd anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

The cold February weather didn't stop over 100 people gathering at Kitchener City Hall on Sunday to mark the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) Waterloo-Wellington branch hosted the rally. Organizer Tetyana Chuchkevych is the branch's vice president and called it a global call to action, especially in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

"Everybody is exhausted, tired, but especially in the last couple weeks. A lot of people feel a combination of betrayal… and again this uncertainty because we don't know what's going to happen," said Chuchkevych. 

Multiple cities have hosted or will be hosting rallies across the country, including in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver.

Attendees at city hall included local MPs and MPPs as well as Kitchener mayor Berry Vrbanovic. 

The UCC is an organization dedicated to advocacy for Ukrainian citizens since the original conflict that began in 2014.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, escalating a war that has been reported as the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. In the three years since Russia's invasion, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees have fled to Canada. 

The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has officially recorded over 12,500 civilians killed since the war began in 2022 and almost 30,000 civilians injured. 

Chuchkevych said this rally is meant to keep people hopeful for a resolution to the war and protect those who have come to Canada. She hopes to see more Canadian resources for Ukrainian refugees who are looking to build a life and contribute to the country. 

"We don't want to be forgotten."

Kateryna Halushko and Oleksiy Koshulko both say they have family back in Ukraine that they are anxious to support remotely. 

"It's so sad that the war continues for more than three years. We couldn't believe this has happened," said Koshulko. 

Growing uncertainty

Andrii Naumenko has friends back in Ukraine who are fighting and came to the rally to remind others that silence is not optional. 

"I need to be here to remind people that it's still going on," he said. 

He said that in the meantime, he's thankful for the support Canada has given Ukrainian refugees during what feels like an endless conflict. 

"I think that Ukrainian refugees deserve more than just being allowed to live in Canada," he said. 

Among those rallying at city hall was Mariia Smyrnova, who survived the attack on and occupation of Mariupol city in February 2022 and escaped to Canada. Hers was one of the first cities at the beginning of the war to be attacked. 

Smyrnova recalls waking up to loud explosions on Feb. 24, 2022. In a matter of days, internet and electricity were cut off as Russian fighter jets began to bomb the city. 

"I'm here to remind people about the crimes that Putin and his allies and supporters have committed. I'm here also to ask for the support of Ukraine, especially because recent news is pretty disturbing and very disrespectful," she said. 

When the conflict first escalated, the Canadian government offered Ukrainian residents temporary refuge through the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program, which is set to expire on March 31, 2025. 

Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller has already said that finding permanent residency for all 300,000 Ukrainian refugees would be difficult, leaving many with uncertain futures. 

"So many people are really scared about their future because there's no way they can return back to Ukraine, and it's unknown what's going to happen to them in one year," said Chuchkevych. 

"We need to work together. We need to change it."