Calgarians #StandWithUkraine for rally at the Peace Bridge

A rally of about 20 people met at the Peace Bridge in Calgary on Saturday, calling on community leaders to join them to help raise awareness of the critical situation facing the Ukrainian people.
The Stand With Ukraine movement, which is supported by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), is calling on Canadians coast-to-coast to recognize the Ukrainian people's freedom and right to peace in their land.
"For eight years, the Ukrainian people have bravely defended their country against brutal Russian aggression, as Russia once again seeks to colonize Ukraine," the group said in a release.
One of the participants, Kathy Bohdan, says she is worried about her family members who are still in Ukraine and is concerned about Russia's intentions.
"I think they just want to get back to the old days - 30 to 40 years back - to the U.S.S.R. and they want to take over all the countries and do (that) again," she said. "Ukraine is a rich country."
Others say the pressure at the border has been around for years so everyone is scared, especially those who lived through the Soviet era.
Tensions in Ukraine have increased over the past week as Moscow has massed tens of thousands of troops at the border, leading to fears of an invasion. The West has rejected Moscow's main demands – promises from NATO that Ukraine will never be added as a member, that no alliance weapons will be deployed near Russian borders, and that it will pull back its forces from Central and Eastern Europe.
Canada has already agreed to loan the Ukrainian government $120 million to help stabilize the country and has promised to look for more ways to help.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, answering questions from the media on Friday, wouldn't go into further details on the plans but said if Russian troops entered Ukraine, it would be "unacceptable" and "met with a clear response."
(With files from CTVNews.ca's Rachel Aiello and the Associated Press)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
School police chief receives blame in Texas shooting response
The police official blamed for not sending officers in more quickly to stop the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting is the chief of the school system's small police force, a unit dedicated ordinarily to building relationships with students and responding to the occasional fight.

Fact check: NRA speakers distort gun and crime statistics
Speakers at the National Rifle Association annual meeting assailed a Chicago gun ban that doesn't exist, ignored security upgrades at the Texas school where children were slaughtered and roundly distorted national gun and crime statistics as they pushed back against any tightening of gun laws.
'Mom, you gotta carry on': 58-year-old Winnipegger inspired to graduate high school by late son
Fifty-eight-year-old Vivian Ketchum is set to receive her high school diploma at a graduation ceremony at the University of Winnipeg next month. It is a moment that is decades in the making.
Truth tracker: Does the World Economic Forum influence governments like Canada’s?
The World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos was met with justifiable criticisms and unfounded conspiracy theories.
She smeared blood on herself and played dead: 11-year-old reveals chilling details of the massacre
An 11-year-old survivor of the Robb Elementary School massacre in Uvalde, Texas, feared the gunman would come back for her so she smeared herself in her friend's blood and played dead.
Girl told 911 'send the police now' as cops waited 48 minutes, official says
Students trapped inside a classroom with a gunman repeatedly called 911 during this week's attack on a Texas elementary school, including one who pleaded, 'Please send the police now,' as officers waited more than an hour to breach the classroom after following the gunman into the building, authorities said Friday.
Broken comet could trigger visible meteor shower Monday
Fragments of a comet broken nearly 30 years ago could potentially light up the night sky Monday as experts predict an 'all or nothing' spectacle.
Three Canadian cities rank among the world's best for work-life balance
A new report says Ottawa, Vancouver and Toronto rank among the top 20 cities around the world when it comes to work-life balance.
Feds aiming to address airport 'bottlenecks' in time for summer travel season
Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says the federal government is working with groups on the ground to resolve air travel 'bottlenecks' in time for a busy summer.