Photo by Whitehorse Star
UCAY president Jeff Sloychuk
Photo by Photo Submitted
A WAR’S TOLL – This office block in Kyiv has been damaged by Russian missiles and drones. Photos courtesy City of Chortkiv
Photo by Photo Submitted
A HIGH HONOUR – Jeff Sloychuk (right) receives the highest civilian honour from the City of Chortkiv – the Order of Merit to the Community Medallion. Photos courtesy City of Chortkiv
Photo by Photo Submitted
OVERSEAS CONVERSING – Ukrainians meet with their emergency services personnel and Whitehorse firefighters confreres over Zoom. Jeff Sloychuk is third from the right. Photos courtesy City of Chortkiv
Photo by Photo Submitted
READY FOR SERVICE – Yukoners are behind the conversion of this Volkswagen van to an emergency medical evacuation vehicle. Photos courtesy City of Chortkiv
Trip sees another Yukoner added to Russia’s sanctioned list
The third Yukon-to-Ukraine mission undertaken by the Ukrainian Canadian Association of Yukon (UCAY) has not escaped the notice of the Kremlin in Moscow.
The third Yukon-to-Ukraine mission undertaken by the Ukrainian Canadian Association of Yukon (UCAY) has not escaped the notice of the Kremlin in Moscow.
UCAY president Jeff Sloychuk and board member Taras Yurkiv, both of Whitehorse, returned to Canada Monday night after driving a Volkswagen T5 loaded with medical and humanitarian supplies donated by Yukoners from the Atlantic Ocean to within 100 kilometres of the Black Sea in Ukraine.
One place they won’t be welcome anytime soon however, is Russia.
Sloychuk said today he wears this badge – being added to Russia’s list of sanctioned Canadians – with honour.
“It’s an honour just to be nominated,” he joked.
“One thing I am pleased about is the quality of the company we are in on this Russian ban – the greatly respected spiritual and community leaders across Canada that accompany us on this latest list shows us that we are not alone in caring about Ukraine.”
Sloychuk was added to the sanctions list along with UCAY vice-president Eileen Melnychuk.
Yurkiv and other members of the organization have not yet been added, but other Yukoners previously sanctioned include Premier Ranj Pillai, Senator Pat Duncan, Yukon MP Brendan Hanley and a handful of others.
The Russian Federation communiqué Sloychuk referred to specifically cited the undesirability of three Canadian NGOs, which were not named, as “expertly and ideologically generating hatred towards our country” in preparing the latest sanction list.
The full statement is available here: https://mid.ru/ru/foreign_policy/news/1940497/
Of note is that Russia is now referring to the special military operation as a “hybrid war.”
“I was overwhelmed by the reception of our donated supplies and of course the Volkswagen medical evacuation vehicle, but one is always left wanting to bring more, hoping to help more, yearning to do more,” Sloychuk said.
“We are inspired, but ready to get back to work to help wherever we can.”
As in previous missions, UCAY delivered critical antibiotics and supplies to the Yuzhnoukrains’k Municipal Hospital in central Ukraine through its partnership with Health Partners International of Canada and Yukon Health.
Defensive equipment will be delivered to the front lines via Chortkiv Mayor Volodymyr Shmatko.
The Whitehorse Firefighters Charity continues to be a key partner, as well as Air Canada and Air North.
UCAY’s fundraising campaign remains active at https://www.afterthefireisout.com/yukon-ukraine.
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