When Peter Bihun got up this morning, he was afraid to turn on the television to see what was going on.

The president of the Dolyna Ukrainian Cultural Society is now watching carefully, still a little hopeful he said that Ukraine will be able to resist Russia91裸聊视频檚 invasion.

91裸聊视频淚 received an email from my cousin this morning, and she91裸聊视频檚 telling us to pray for Ukraine,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e quite afraid. We went from worrying, to frightening.91裸聊视频�

Father Pavlo Myts, the Pastor of the Dorminition Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church in Kelowna and the Holy Resurrection Church of Penticton, said people were praying until midnight.

91裸聊视频淲e all have family in the East and West Ukraine,91裸聊视频� said Myts. 91裸聊视频淢y family is in Ukraine. My brother, sister, their families, my mother, my wife91裸聊视频檚 family, other cousins, are all there.91裸聊视频�

Of the 30 families directly involved in the cultural society, almost all of them have families that still live in Ukraine, and they aren91裸聊视频檛 alone in the Okanagan.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 probably in the Kelowna area about 14,000 people who have Ukrainian heritage,91裸聊视频� Bihun said.

Some of those people, like Bihun, used to travel regularly back to Ukraine to visit their family and friends.

91裸聊视频淥ne family I was talking to yesterday, her mother is there and her close relatives, and they91裸聊视频檝e been in contact with them and it91裸聊视频檚 very fearful,91裸聊视频� said Buhin.

The fear that many families feel in Canada is shared by their relatives in Ukraine, he said, but the people aren91裸聊视频檛 going to give up or run away. 91裸聊视频淯kraine will fight91裸聊视频�, he said.

The current conflict didn91裸聊视频檛 come entirely as a surprise to Buhin, nor to many of those, he knows in Ukraine. In many ways, it is a continuation of the Crimean conflict of 2014.

91裸聊视频淭he Ukrainians have lost over 15,000 people fighting them already. Fighting a war is not something strange to the people, their young people have been going to the front now for eight years,91裸聊视频� said Buhin.

Buhin sees what91裸聊视频檚 happening in Russia as only a first strike from a Russian leader determined to rebuild the Soviet Union by force. It91裸聊视频檚 something that the rest of the world will need to face down while it can before Putin91裸聊视频檚 territorial ambitions go further, he added.

Father Myts said that his family in Ukraine have told him that there are already shortages of water and food and that they can91裸聊视频檛 even flee their city because there isn91裸聊视频檛 enough gas at the stations.

91裸聊视频淥ne of the strikes, it was only about 35 kilometres from my hometown,91裸聊视频� said Myts.

91裸聊视频淩ight now the biggest help, from the west, will be the democratic countries getting together and really doing some economic damage to Russia, not just a few billionaires. Their billionaires know how to hide money, it needs to be a crushing financial blow to Russia.91裸聊视频�

Despite the size of the Russian army, the extent of their bombing campaign, and the speed with which they91裸聊视频檙e moving, Buhin still holds out hope for the Ukrainian people to endure.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 like David and Goliath, and with Russia being the aggressor with a huge army, we all know what happened to Goliath and we can only hope that happens here.91裸聊视频�

Myts is pleading for international aid and for the world to unite, as 91裸聊视频渢hey will not stop unless the world gets together.91裸聊视频�

A rally for Ukraine is taking place at the Kelowna City Hall on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 4 p.m. People of all backgrounds are invited to come out in support and bring Ukrainian flags and wear blue and yellow if they can.

Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran has spoken out about Russia91裸聊视频檚 attacks on Ukraine stating deep concern.

91裸聊视频淲e stand with the people of Ukraine and their democratically elected government, and all the Ukrainian-Canadians who call Kelowna home,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲e condemn Russia91裸聊视频檚 unprovoked attacks. As a community and as individuals, we need to denounce this senseless violence.91裸聊视频�

Ukraine needs our help
"Write to your MLAs"

91裸聊视频� Jacqueline Gelineau (@Rangers_mom)

Support can be sent to the , organized by CNEWA Canada. Support for the beleaguered Ukrainians can also be sent through the and Canada-Ukraine Foundation, who have established a humanitarian fund.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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