Ottawa Ukrainian community calls on Canada to impose stronger sanctions on Russia

Ottawa’s Ukrainian community is pushing for the Canadian government to do more to help Ukraine after it was invaded by Russia.

The Ukrainian Canadian Professional and Business Association (UCPBA) of Ottawa wants Justin Trudeau’s Liberals to impose further sanctions on Russia and to provide weaponry to assist Ukraine in its defence.

Cassian Soltykevych, the president of UCPBA Ottawa, is urging Canada to ask for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, kick Russia out of the SWIFT international payment system, and help supply Ukrainian soldiers with anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.

“Ukraine right now is fighting for democracy and the rule of law around the whole world,” Soltykevych told CityNews. “They’re fighting for Europe, they’re fighting for all of us. Because Russia has invaded a sovereign European nation. They need the weapons and materials to defend themselves and stand up to this bully.

“So that no further civilians have to lose their lives over this senseless, senseless war.” 

Kyiv residents braced Saturday for another night sheltering underground, as Russian troops closed in on Ukraine’s capital and skirmishes were reported on the outskirts.

Britain and the U.S. said the bulk of Russian forces were 30 kilometres from the centre of the city.

Russia claims its assault on Ukraine is aimed only at military targets, but bridges, schools and residential neighbourhoods have been hit since the invasion began Thursday with air and missile strikes and Russian troops entering Ukraine from the north, east and south.

Ukraine’s health minister reported Saturday that 198 people, including three children, had been killed and more than 1,000 others had been wounded during Europe’s largest land war since World War II.

“This is an unprovoked heinous war by the Russian military and Vladimir Putin against the people of Ukraine,” said Soltykevych.

Trudeau announced another round of sanctions against Russia and Putin on Friday, saying Canada’s government supports the removal of Russia from the SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) global banking system.

Canada also said it would impose sanctions on Russia’s chief of staff, Valery Gerasimov, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Soltykevych says he wants to see Russia cut off from the global economy.

“We need the Canadian government to continue to act, to be a leader in the international community, to provide the harshest sanctions possible,” he said.

UCPBA Ottawa has organized a protest outside Ottawa’s Russian embassy at 285 Charlotte St. on Sunday, February 27.

The association is expecting hundreds of Ukrainian supporters from different nationalities and cultural groups to protest and voice their disapproval of Russia’s invasion. 

Similar protests at Russian consulates and embassies have taken place across Canada and the world in the past few days.

“We already have hundreds and hundreds of people, not just from the Ukrainian community, but from Baltic countries, from the Polish, Hungarian, the Jewish community – they will all be standing with us tomorrow (Sunday) at the rally,” said Soltykevych. “In addition to the Russian community. This is not a war between Ukraine and the Russian people.

“Anybody who stands for democracy, the rule of law and freedom around the world should be standing with the people of Ukraine.”

Sunday’s protest begins at 2 p.m. 

—With files from The Associated Press.