Tag: War in Ukraine
-
From Crimea to Greenland: When Annexation Becomes Normalized
The Echoes of 2014 In February 2014, Russian forces seized Crimea from Ukraine in what became the first forcible annexation of European territory since World War II. The European Union’s response was tepid at best, sanctions that many characterized as symbolic, diplomatic protests that faded into bureaucratic inertia, and a collective hope that perhaps Putin…
-
A Letter from the Heart: Ukraine Under Fire, the World Must Not Look Away
Dear Friends, As I write this on the morning of January 9th, 2026, my birth country and the place I was born (Lviv) is buried under snow, gripped by freezing temperatures approaching -20°C, and under relentless assault from Russian missiles and drones. Last night, Russia launched one of its largest combined attacks: at least 20…
-
Hope After Christmas: Ten Lessons from the Soviet Collapse and Ten Reasons for Hope Today
December 26, 2025: 34 years since the fall of an empire Today marks the anniversary of one of history’s most significant moments. On December 26, 1991, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, a superpower that had shaped global politics for nearly seven decades, possessed thousands of nuclear weapons, and controlled the lives of hundreds of…
-
Postcards That Carry Courage: A Special Zoom Event
This event took place on December 20, 2025. Postcards That Carry Courage: A Special Zoom Event Saturday, December 20, 2025 9:00 AM Pacific | 12:00 Noon Eastern Duration: Approximately 1 hour You’re warmly invited to join a virtual gathering with Helen and Jean-Michel, the founders of Postcards to the Front Canada: the organization that, since spring 2023, has sent…
-
Why I Sometimes Post About Beautiful Sunsets Instead of the War
When I travelled through Europe this year, the contrast broke something in me. When I spoke at the conferences with social workers from Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn, people are preparing. Not loudly. Not dramatically. But you see it in how they talk, in what they’re building, in how they look east. In Prague, the awareness is…
-
Stand with Ukraine November 15, 2025 Update
The events and deadlines in this post passed by February 12, 2026. Day 1,360 since February 24th, 2022 (1,360 день повномасштабної війни) Day 4,286 since February 20th, 2014, Temporary Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation Thank you to all who #StandWithUkraine Greetings from Vienna, Austria! As November deepens and we approach one of the…
-
Stand with Ukraine October 19 2025 Update
The events and deadlines in this post passed by February 12, 2026. Day 1,332 since February 24th, 2022 (1,335 день повномасштабної війни) Day 4,256 since February 20th, 2014, Temporary Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation Thank you to all who #StandWithUkraine Greetings from Kamloops! As October unfolds and we move deeper into autumn, I…
-
The Weight of Watching: A Nightly Vigil from Afar
I refresh the page again. @monitoringwar. The timestamp reads early morning, October 5th, 2025. The clinical language of the military briefing can’t disguise what happened in the darkness: another massive combined strike. Geran-2 drones. Kalibr cruise missiles. Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles. Decoy drones to confuse air defenses. At least 600 targets launched in a single night.…
-
Ukrainian Roots Challenge 2026
The 2026 Ukrainian Roots Challenge ran from February 15 to May 21, 2026. Strengthening Diaspora Connections Through Video Storytelling Presented by DrokAcademy A Critical Moment for Ukrainian Identity February 24, 2022 changed everything. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine didn’t just attack a country: it attacked Ukrainian identity, language, and culture itself. Today, more Ukrainians live…
-
Stand with Ukraine September 21st Update
The events listed here took place from September 22, 2025 to October 5, 2025. Day 1,305 since February 24th, 2022 (1,308 день повномасштабної війни) Day 4,229 since February 20th, 2014, Temporary Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation Thank you to all who #StandWithUkraine Greetings from Kamloops! As we approach the autumn season, I want…
-
How Ukraine Can Lead Europe’s Defense: A Strategic Partnership with Poland
Reflections from a Ukrainian Canadian in Kamloops on Ihor Lutsenko’s Strategic Vision The moment demands adult leadership. With no one else stepping up, Ukraine must act as the mature partner Europe needs.This analysis builds upon the brilliant strategic framework outlined by Ihor Lutsenko in his Facebook post from September 9th. As a Ukrainian Canadian watching…
-
The Digital Ghost of Mariupol: How Strava Data Reveals Russia’s Destruction of Ukrainian Life
In the digital age, the traces of human activity leave invisible footprints across virtual landscapes. One Ukrainian analyst, Yurii Gaidai, has found a haunting way to visualize the devastating impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine through an unlikely source: fitness tracking data from Strava. https://shorturl.at/MWcMs What is Strava? Strava is a popular fitness tracking application…