Russian attack on Ukraine touches Cochrane

The world's attention has turned to Ukraine, where the Russians have launched a major invasion on Feb. 24 that continues today.

Canada's Ukrainian community is the largest diaspora population outside of Ukraine and Russia, and it's touching the lives of many, including people in Cochrane.

Robert Kalinovich and his wife Iryna Melnyk-Kalinovich have deep roots in the Ukraine.

Cochranites Robert Kalinovich and Iryna Melnyk-Kalinovich are among those concerned about the welfare of their family and friends in the Ukraine and have been in constant contact since Russia launched a full-scale invasion on Feb. 24.

"My wife is in touch with her parents and brother today, and they're all good for now, but they're thinking, too," says Kalinovich. "Have they got their passports handy? Have they got other documents?"

The couple knows many people across the country, including its capital, Kyiv, that's currently under heavy attack by Russian troops. But, for the most part, their relatives reside in the western part of the country where it's been quiet so far.

He says he has a distant cousin who lives in the southeast part of the Ukraine that is coming under attack, whom he spoke with on Wednesday.

"I would expect that he's all right, but we'll check in on him tomorrow (Feb. 25) because he's fairly close to where some of the action is."

"But, of course, everyone's worried, and everyone's thinking, do they have enough food and money? If things go to hell in a handbasket, are they going to be able to ride it out, or leave the country, or what?"

Kalinovich says there has been hostility towards Ukraine for years by Russia, and that their relatives and friends had been holding out hope Russia wouldn't invade.

"They were saying, I thought that last-minute that Putin would stop or he wouldn't ultimately invade because when was already destroying Ukraine's economy because of all the uncertainty. The investment was already stopping in Ukraine and all these other things, so he was already achieving goals anyway."

The worldwide fear is Russian president Vladimir Putin aspires to reform the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

So far, Kalinovich says the Russians have been targeting military installations and communication towers spread across the country and, as of yesterday, there were few civilian casualties.

While some people are seeking refuge outside of the country, Kalovnich's sources say any military-age men have been forbidden to leave the county. He says the government has issued 10,000 machine guns to civilians in Kyiv

"People with any kind of military experience, any kind of training, could show up at the armory and get machines. You have to show you documents, who you are, but they'll give you a machine gun."

Kalinovich says there have been reports of major Russian casualties, and that the initial attack fell short of its expectations.

He hopes that is the case. so as to discourage the Russians and end the attacks without massive loss of life.

While not directly impacted, Shane Wolbaum, of The Butchery Block, has a Ukraine-German heritage. His grandmother was Ukrainian. As a youth, he remembers the rich celebration of Ukrainian traditions. To this day, he uses some of the recipes handed down over the generations.

"A lot of those recipes came from my grandfather and grandmother. As young as five years old, I remember my Grandma was in the kitchen, doing the sample with the hot plate. It was a family event when we were making sausage and there were more perogies than you could shake a stick at."

Like most, he's left with the question of why this is taking place, and watching the situation closely.

Shane Wolbaum, of The Butchery Block, still uses recipes handed down to him through his family.