Ukrainian-Londoners working desperately to bring relatives to Canada, provide aid overseas

Londoners who are trying to get their family members out of Ukraine are left in limbo as embassies are closed and security checks to allow citizens to come to Canada are unable to be completed. 

As many Ukrainians flee the warzone and make it to neighbouring countries such as Poland, Romania, Moldova, and others, those who cannot make the risky journey are stuck. 

Rob Ellsworth and his wife Karina are desperately trying to bring her elderly grandparents from Ukraine to safety in London, Ont., where the couple lives. While their visa applications have been approved, an important step in the process is providing biometric information such as fingerprints, which is currently not possible in Ukraine.   

"The stress of war is definitely showing," he said. "They're not sleeping much at all. They woke up on Friday to sirens, and right from the beginning it's been a huge change in our lives."  

Visa proceedings can be completed in neighbouring countries, but Ellsworth said that getting to those countries is an extremely dangerous trip for the grandparents who are both in their 70s. 

"It's a perilous journey. We've hit a roadblock and are helpless because our grandparents can't make that terrible journey" he added. 

On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Polish President Andrzej Duda to share how Canada plans to support Ukrainian refugees and announced further sanctions on Russia.

Challenging times of uncertainty

The greatest challenge for Ellsworth's family is not knowing whether his grandparents' applications will be accepted, or if they'll get stranded in another country after leaving everything behind.

"There's no good solution. Leaving is rather dangerous and the uncertainty of not knowing their future is really troubling since returning home after that is impossible," he said. 

As soon as rumours of a Russian invasion started circulating in December, Dmytro Tarabanov immediately began preparing paperwork to bring his relatives to Canada. 

"Not all of our family members are safe. It's challenging for them to migrate really far and the situation is always changing," he said. 

Tarabanov has vulnerable family members who can't travel and therefore must stay back in Ukraine. His uncle, who has a disability, went missing a few days ago while he was on his way to the nearby city of Mykolaiv to pick up his weekly medication, where he was ambushed by Russian forces.

Tarabanov hopes the Canadian government further simplifies the immigration process because "there's a lot of vulnerable people who are just not prepared to handle such new and difficult situations."

Worsening situations in Ukraine 

Luba Kaipainen is grateful that her relatives were able to get to Poland and complete their visitor visa applications, but she said the "violation of humanity in Ukraine is getting progressively worse." 

"It's difficult to move about on the streets, there's not enough food and everyone is terrified about the future. Their lives have been completely up-ended," she said. 

"My nephew is working hard for his family and they had a life for themselves but now, months later, the country's being demolished and hundreds of people are dying."

Tarabanov hopes that Canada continues to stick by Ukraine's side because he believes, this war is about democracy. 

"It's crucial for the west to make sure that Ukraine stands, and Russia as the aggressor gets what it deserves for attacking a sovereign nation."

As Ellsworth and his wife figure out how to get their grandparents to Canada, they hope that those left behind in Ukraine, continue to stay safe.

"We're waiting for a moment where we can be certain that they can reach Canada safely or pray that they remain safe in their home," Ellsworth said.