See how Kelowna rallied for Ukraine

Dozens showed their unity Thursday afternoon in a show of support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.

Ukrainian flags were waved proudly outside city hall, and many signs carried messages like: “Stop Putin”, “Stand with Ukraine”, and “Stop War.”

“The whole idea is to get attention, “rally organizer Denys Storozhuk told Kelowna10. “Most people already know what’s happening, but we want to get more attention to that and provide the list of how we can help.”

He said it was his son’s idea to gather to do their part and show support for Ukraine and list their biggest needs including weapons, financial help, and sanctions.

When he and his son watched the invasion on TV, they were both in complete shock and didn’t think anything like this would ever be pulled off.

“If someone told me nine years ago that a Russian-Ukrainian war would happen, I would be in complete disbelief. It’s completely unexpected,” Storozhuk said. “I was pretty sure [president] Putin was bluffing with all this recent development with troops and the full-scale attack.”

Daniel Sora, who was one of those at the rally, said his family back home in West Ukraine are safe, but it’s important they spread the word, of how serious this really is.

“We want to say to the world, let’s stop it together, let’s help Ukrainian armed forces because they’re struggling to protect the world from the third world war,” he said. “We have to gather and help because they protect everyone in Ukraine.”

Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran expressed his concerns in a statement on the events and the city’s support for the Ukrainian government.

“We stand with the people of Ukraine and their democratically elected government, and all the Ukrainian-Canadians who call Kelowna home,” he said. “We condemn Russia’s unprovoked attacks. As a community and as individuals, we need to denounce this senseless violence.”

“We join B.C. Premier John Horgan and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in deploring this unwarranted and unprovoked aggression and echo the international community’s calls for de-escalation and an immediate resolution to the conflict.”