Olha Kulybanych appears up at Canmore’s iconic Three Sisters mountain vary towering over the Alberta city and stated whereas it’s beautiful — her coronary heart aches for an additional peak: Hoverla Mountain again house in Ukraine.
“We’re grateful for Canada and for Bow Valley to have us and to assist us and assist us, however I’m not prepared but to name it house,” she stated.
Kulybanych moved to Banff three years in the past, not lengthy after she received a telephone name from her father in Ukraine.
“He simply known as me and stated, ‘You aren’t coming to Ukraine till this conflict ends, however I’m going to struggle,’” she stated.
“He didn’t need to struggle, however he stated that he can not look the younger males within the eye, so he made his choice and we needed to discover peace with that,” she paused with tears in her eyes.
9 months later, her father was killed throughout an assault in Donetsk. He was simply 55 years previous.
“There are straightforward days, comfortable days merged along with disappointment and simply despair — looking for happiness in life,” Kulybanych stated.
“He meant all the things to me.”
Olha Kulybanych and her father on her marriage ceremony day again in Ukraine.
Equipped
Kulybanych is a part of a rising neighborhood of Ukrainians who’ve discovered refuge in Alberta’s Bow Valley space, to the west of Calgary within the Rocky Mountains.
Svitlana Stasenko and her teenage daughter additionally arrive in Canada three years in the past.
“Appears to me, my life simply stopped,” stated Stasenko, who was an accountant for a big firm in Ukraine’s Kharkiv area. She’s now working as a cleaner and at a grocery retailer in Canmore.
Her husband, a college professor, stayed behind to struggle for his or her nation. He’s been on the frontlines since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Svitlana Stasenko together with her husband and daughter again in Ukraine.
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Stasenko stated her husband can’t all the time inform his household the place he’s for security and safety causes, so he typically sends smile emojis to allow them to know he’s okay.
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Stasenko arrived in Canada when her daughter was 12 and she or he stated she feels disappointment over the moments and milestones her husband doesn’t get to witness.
“I see how she’s rising up and I really feel very unhappy that my husband can’t see it, my mom can’t see it,” she stated, wiping away the tears.
They’re protected however the emotional toll will be grueling, whereas each day life grinds on. Stasenko stated they really feel caught, on maintain as they await the following replace from again house.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited to the Bow Valley on the G7 Summit on Tuesday, simply down the freeway from Canmore in Kananaskis Nation.
“Realizing that he’s near the identical place the place I reside it’s inspiring, it brings hope,” stated Kulybanych. “We assist our president, we’re hopeful that he’ll discover a technique to talk with different leaders.”
“We’d like extra sanctions, extra weapons to Ukraine to have the ability to shield ourselves, the system that may shield from the shelling that’s persevering with to occur,” she added, making reference to a defence programs akin to Israel’s Iron Dome, that may detect and intercept incoming projectiles.
“Like, have a look at the final two weeks.”
In a single day into Tuesday, officers say a Russian missile and drone bombardment killed no less than 15 folks and injured 156 others in Ukraine, with the principle barrage demolishing a nine-story residence constructing in Kyiv.
Residents react after a Russian missile hit a multi-storey residence throughout Russia’s mixed missile and drone air assault in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
Efrem Lukatsky/ AP Picture
It was the deadliest assault on the Ukrainian capital this 12 months and got here as two rounds of direct peace talks have didn’t make progress on ending the conflict, now in its fourth 12 months.
Town’s army administration stated 14 folks had been killed and 138 others had been injured within the capital as explosions echoed for hours.
Russia fired greater than 440 drones and 32 missiles, Zelenskyy stated, calling the Kyiv assault “one of the terrifying strikes” on the capital.
A Russian drone assaults a constructing throughout Russia’s large missile and drone air assault in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
Efrem Lukatsky/ AP Picture
Russia has repeatedly hit civilian areas of Ukraine with missiles and drones, and the United Nations says the assaults have killed greater than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians.
Russia has in latest months stepped up its aerial assaults. It launched virtually 500 drones at Ukraine on June 10 within the greatest in a single day drone bombardment of the conflict. Russia additionally pounded Kyiv on April 24, killing 12 folks.
Ukrainian forces have hit again towards Russia with their very own domestically produced long-range drones.
The Russian army stated it downed 203 Ukrainian drones over 10 Russian areas between Monday night and Tuesday morning.
Uncertainty about U.S. coverage on the conflict has fueled doubts about how a lot assist Kyiv can rely on.
Residents react after a Russian missile hit a multi-storey residence throughout Russia’s large missile and drone air assault in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
Efrem Lukatsky/ AP Picture
Zelenskyy had been set to satisfy with U.S. President Donald Trump on the G7 summit Tuesday to press him for extra assist.
Zelenskyy is in search of to forestall Ukraine from being sidelined in worldwide diplomacy. Trump stated earlier this month it is perhaps higher to let Ukraine and Russia “struggle for some time” earlier than pulling them aside and pursuing peace, however European leaders have urged him to stress Russian President Vladimir Putin into accepting a ceasefire.
Nevertheless, their assembly by no means occurred — Trump returned early to Washington on Monday night time due to tensions within the Center East.
Canada, nevertheless, rolled out a listing of commitments on the G7.
Prime Minister Mark Carney introduced new sanctions on Russia’s shadow fleet and power revenues, as properly a further $2 billion in new funding for Kyiv for drones, ammunition, and armored automobiles.
He known as the newest assault “barbarism by Russia” that underscores the significance of standing in solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian folks.
“To be completely clear, the assist will likely be unwavering till we get a simply peace for Ukraine and the Ukrainian folks,” Carney stated on Tuesday.
It’s a glimmer of hope to so many who dream of returning again to what’s left of their houses and their households.
Kulybanych helped begin a Bow Valley chapter of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Affiliation. She’s vowing to hold personal the legacy of her heroic father.
“To maintain combating, combating for Ukraine like he did.”
— With recordsdata from Samya Kullab And Vasilisa Stepanenko, The Canadian Press, together with studies from Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, Jill Lawless and Rob Gillies in Kananaskis, Brian Melley in London and Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England.
