Ukrainian-Calgarians march for defenders of Mariupol
Ukrainian-Calgarians march for defenders of Mariupol
Nearly 100 Ukrainian members of Calgary’s community marched in protest calling for the release of Azovstal Iron and steel workers, defending Mariupol from Russian attacks.
After months of fighting that began when Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February, citizens are calling for an end to the war and safe return of their loved ones.
“Our parents, our friends, our boyfriends, and our husbands are still there,” said organizer Serafima Rudik.
“For us, it’s extremely difficult to overcome it by ourselves.”
Rudik is a Ukrainian student who arrived in Calgary three months ago. She says she does not want people to become too complacent about the war.
“We are motivating people to not be silent, to remember that the war is still going on and we shouldn’t get used to it,” she said.
The peaceful rally began at St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox Sobor, before attendees marched in unison, some with their hands tied together, depicting what it feels like to be a prisoner.
Hennadii Bondanko flew from Denmark to Calgary just four days ago. He says his brother’s presence in the city enticed him to come to Canada.
“His view was it’s a very big community and as I said before its a very big community and everybody helps each other,” said Bondanko.
The Russian invasion began February 24. Millions of Ukrainians have fled the country since that time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cabinet heard of potential 'breakthrough' with 'Freedom Convoy' protesters before Emergencies Act was invoked: documents
The night before the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act in response to the 'Freedom Convoy' protests, the prime minister’s national security adviser told him there was 'a potential for a breakthrough' in Ottawa, court documents show.

Sellers 'expecting yesterday's prices': Canadians cope with a correcting housing market
After a series of interest rate hikes implemented by the Bank of Canada, housing markets are now facing a 'significant' correction. CTVNews.ca spoke to Canadians who are now struggling to make the goal of purchasing a home, or selling one, a reality.
A new virus was found in China, here's what we know
Scientists are keeping an eye on the Langya virus, a new pathogen that appears to have been transmitted from animals to humans in China and causes symptoms similar to COVID-19 or the flu.
EXCLUSIVE | B.C. cop stalked ex-girlfriend for years using police computers, misconduct probe finds
A high-ranking B.C. officer used police resources to conduct at least 92 searches on his ex-girlfriend and her family while stalking her over a period of five years, according to documents exclusively obtained by CTV News.
Power restored in Toronto after hours-long outage likely caused by crane hitting transmission line
Power has been restored in Toronto's downtown core after a widespread outage caused major disruptions in the city Thursday.
Police investigating attack on Brampton, Ont. media personality as attempted murder
A Brampton, Ont. media personality who was attacked with a machete and axe in his driveway will need months of physical rehabilitation to recover, a close friend says.
U.S. Justice Dept. seeks to unseal search warrant of Trump home
The U.S. Justice Department is asking a federal court to unseal the warrant the FBI used to search the Mar-a-Lago estate of former president Donald Trump, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday, acknowledging extraordinary public interest in the case about classified records.
Man who tried to breach FBI office killed after standoff
An armed man clad in body armor who tried to breach the FBI's Cincinnati office on Thursday was shot and killed by police after he fled the scene and engaged in an hourslong standoff in a rural part of the state, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.
'Devastating': Search continues for Sask. mushroom picker missing for 7 days
It’s been seven days since 74-year-old Lois Chartrand went missing while mushroom picking in the forest north of Smeaton, Sask.