A Ukrainian Man in Canada: A Story of Adaptation and Generosity Amid the Chaos of the Russian Invasion

Amid the chaos and destruction caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, millions of people have been forced to flee their homes and seek safe haven elsewhere. One of them is Kyrylo, a 24-year-old Ukrainian who found himself in Canada. Despite being thousands of miles away from his homeland, Kyrylo has not forgotten his roots and continues to help his fellow Ukrainians in any way he can. From financially supporting his friends at the front line to mobilizing the local Ukrainian community, Kyrylo’s story is one of adaptation and generosity. In this exclusive interview, Kyrylo shares his experience about finding a new home in Canada and advises Ukrainians who plan to follow in his footsteps.

A few weeks before the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, we all realized that the situation was escalating. I was in Lviv, Kharkiv and Kyiv a few months before the invasion and went to visit friends in different regions of Ukraine. I remember when my father called me on the morning of February 24^th telling me that their town was under a bombing attack. I immediately began to look for ways to help my family.

My parents remain in Kharkiv now. Although, they moved several times to the Western part of Ukraine in the first months of the Russian invasion. After a while, when the situation became more stable, despite the existing danger of shelling, they decided to return home. I have a lot of friends in Kharkiv. Some of them liver near the Ukrainian-Russian border. 

I miss my friends and family. I always enjoyed going to my parents for dinner on holidays.  I have heard back only from one of my relatives on the 2023 New Year’s Eve. Likewise, I got upset. Later I realized that many of my friends died during the Russian invasion. Most of them died.   It had a big impact on me and my goals going forward.

After the beginning of the Russian invasion, I decided to collect the necessary documents and move to Canada. When I was 15 years old, I studied English for a few months in Toronto. Last year I met Bradley Gionet, a Canadian, leader in “Chilliwack Supports Ukraine“. He’s almost like a brother to me, and I try to keep in touch with him and meet for coffee whenever I can. A week before going to Canada, I got in touch with a family who agreed to help me start a new life in Canada. On September 8, 2022, I flew to Canada. My friends from Kharkiv who had been living in Canada for a few months met me at the airport.

I lived with the host family for three months. It gave me enough time to find a job and accommodation. Host family became for me almost like native parents. My host family were like my parent to me. They were very supportive and helpful. We tried to help each other: I repaired their homes, and they gave useful advice and helped me with my move to a new home. I was impressed by how much they trusted me. They would let me look after the house for a few weeks when they were gone.  We would often get together for dinner, talk by the fireplace, and welcome each other on holidays. I would be very comfortable around them. 

I found my first job in Canada two weeks after my arrival. I got acquainted with the management of a local production company. We discussed working conditions. Soon enough, they hired me. In the meantime, I continued looking for work in my industry. I work with the web design of mobile applications and games. Locals actively helped me adapt to my new life. I remember when I was moving to a new house, I received six packages of food, dishes and other things that the local community had collected for me. It touched me that strangers are so willing to help others.

For the first time in Chilliwack, I tried to mobilize the local community of more than 200 Ukrainians, who lived in our city. I created groups on social networks where I shared announcements. But unfortunately, I didn’t get much feedback. I see the reason for this in Ukrainians not being able to socialize without a conversational level of English. During my stay in Canada, I have not experienced discrimination because of my background. At work, I have the same rights as other people in Canada.

I have friends who are now fighting on the Ukrainian battlefield against Russian occupants. One of them is now in the city of Bakhmut, the city of active combat actions. I try to keep in touch with him because I’m worried about his morale and whether he has all the essentials. I try to support him by sending him money to buy military and personal equipment, I am proud of Ukraine and the people who are now defending the country.

I have a few tips for Ukrainians who plan to go to Canada soon. Firstly, plan where you are going and why. Secondly, it is important to have savings to rent accommodation. It is difficult to find host families in Canada now. If you want to rent an apartment, it is necessary to have a job because landlords request proof of employment and your income. But even if you do not have enough savings, the help from the Canadian government should be enough for two months.

I also want to advise Ukrainians to be polite with Canadians, invite them to dinners, communicate and share experiences. There is a difference in mentality, people try to worry more about themselves and do not waste time on other problems. At the same time, they have a high level of trust in others. I am very grateful to the Canadian government for all the help I received upon arrival.

Ukrainians in Canada can also help Ukraine win the war against Russia. For example, I send 25% of my monthly salary to support Ukrainian charitable organizations, like the “Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation”. If Ukrainians have money and the possibility to help, they should help. I believe that Ukraine will win. There is no other option. I see Canadians talking about wanting to visit Ukraine after the war. In my native Kharkiv, many destroyed buildings remain in the heart of everyone. I think it would be great to show the consequences of the “Russian world” as a reminder of this genocide they staged.

About the future. I think if I wanted to wait out the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the best solution for me would be to stay in Europe. But now, I have already come a long way and gained a lot in a new country. I will look for opportunities to build a new home and then move my family to Canada.

After the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, millions of Ukrainians were forced to leave their homes. On March 3, 2022, the Government of Canada announced the CUAET program for emergency entry of Ukrainians into the country, temporary financial assistance and access to numerous resettlement and adaptation services.

The Canada-Ukraine Emergency Travel Authorization is the fastest, safest, and most effective way for Ukrainians to come to Canada, simplifying existing visa and tourist requirements. To date, over half a million applications have been approved.

The report was prepared by journalist Mykyta Budnyk, a student of V.I. Vernadsky Taurida National University for the Ukrainian media truthfulreporting.org within the project “Life of Ukrainians in Canada and Germany after the start of a full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine.”