Ukrainians in northern Ont. staying positive through holidays, as the Russian war continues
People in Ukraine are dealing with a tragic holiday season, after Russia’s bombings Friday, leaving Ukrainians in northern Ontario with mixed emotions.
Yulia Lahniuk and her daughter Anna are spending their second winter holiday in Canada, after fleeing their home city of Kyiv at the start of the invasion. (Sergio Arangio/CTV News Northern Ontario)Yulia Lahniuk and her daughter Anna are spending their second winter holiday in Timmins, Ont., after fleeing their home city of Kyiv at the start of the invasion.
They try to keep Ukrainian holiday traditions alive, Lahniuk said, but it is difficult to enjoy them, with memories of holidays back home painful to reflect on the recent attacks.
“Our house was full of joy, laughs and hugs,” Lahniuk said.
“Now, it feels like it was so, so long ago.”
Lahniuk called it living a double life – trying to be optimistic, while worrying for family in Ukraine.
She told CTV News that she has relatives in Kyiv and Lviv, both of which were hit by Russian bombs.
They regularly stay in bomb shelters, she said, and sleep in the halls of their homes, in case windows shatter.
Tetyana Yarmolyuk and her family in Lviv spoke to CTV News on a video call Saturday, they said the attacks have traumatized the family and damaged her workplace. She makes food for schoolchildren, orphans and soldiers.
“There were a lot of damage and it was really loud and scary,” said Lahniuk, translating Yarmolyuk’s words from Ukrainian.
Yarmolyuk's husband Ostap said the family is determined to stay positive and celebrate the holidays, adding they will not let Vladimir Putin’s war destroy their spirit.
“We still need to be people and we want to feel that life is still going on,” he said in English.
“We can’t stop […] because it’s our traditions.”
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This is a rebellious holiday season for Ukrainians, being the first where many are breaking away from the Russian Orthodox tradition of celebrating Christmas on Jan. 7, instead reverting back to the country’s pre-Soviet era and celebrating it on Dec. 25 and onwards.
“We have to leave everything that connects us to the enemy,” said Lahniuk.
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