Ukraine

The children recited a Christmas poem fo an appreciative audience.

Recently migrated Ukrainians celebrate first Christmas in the Comox Valley

‘You have made our lives here possible, and without you, we would not be able to have this Christmas’

The children recited a Christmas poem fo an appreciative audience.
Nina Gonchar, 93, and her son Mykola Gonchar, 58, sit inside their house which was mostly destroyed by Russian forces in the recently retaken village of Bogorodychne, Ukraine, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2022. Gonchar’s son Vasyliy and his wife Liubov were killed by Russian shelling on July 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Russia claims deadly attack, but Kyiv denies anyone killed

Russia says its strikes killed at least 600 Ukrainian soldiers

Nina Gonchar, 93, and her son Mykola Gonchar, 58, sit inside their house which was mostly destroyed by Russian forces in the recently retaken village of Bogorodychne, Ukraine, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2022. Gonchar’s son Vasyliy and his wife Liubov were killed by Russian shelling on July 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Ukrainian priests holding a service before the start of the Orthodox Chrismas in the St. Michael’s Monastery of Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered Moscow’s armed forces to observe a 36-hour cease-fire in Ukraine this weekend for the Russian Orthodox Christmas holiday, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy questioned the Kremlin’s intentions, accusing the Kremlin of planning the fighting pause “to continue the war with renewed vigor”. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky)

Kremlin-ordered truce is uncertain amid mutual mistrust

Kyiv ventured out in a light dusting of snow to buy gifts and groceries for their Christmas Eve

Ukrainian priests holding a service before the start of the Orthodox Chrismas in the St. Michael’s Monastery of Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered Moscow’s armed forces to observe a 36-hour cease-fire in Ukraine this weekend for the Russian Orthodox Christmas holiday, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy questioned the Kremlin’s intentions, accusing the Kremlin of planning the fighting pause “to continue the war with renewed vigor”. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky)
Workers clear the snow next to a billboard with a portrait of a Russian soldier awarded for action in Ukraine and the words “Glory to the heroes of Russia” in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

Putin orders 36-hour weekend cease-fire in Ukraine

Head of the Russian Orthodox Church suggested a truce from noon Friday through midnight Saturday

Workers clear the snow next to a billboard with a portrait of a Russian soldier awarded for action in Ukraine and the words “Glory to the heroes of Russia” in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
FILE - Firefighters work after a drone attack on buildings in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Roman Hrytsyna, File)

Drone advances in Ukraine could bring dawn of killer robots

Ukraine already has semi-autonomous attack drones and counter-drone weapons endowed with AI

FILE - Firefighters work after a drone attack on buildings in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Roman Hrytsyna, File)
Local residents carry their belongings as they leave their home ruined in the Saturday Russian rocket attack in Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)

Russia says Ukrainian rocket strike kills 63 Russian troops

Deaths latest in exchange of drone and missile attacks between the two countries

Local residents carry their belongings as they leave their home ruined in the Saturday Russian rocket attack in Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)
Sidney Town Crier Kenny Podmore led the procession down Beacon Avenue on Sept. 19 as part of a ceremony organized by the Town of Sidney to mark the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her funeral. (Black Press Media file photo)

Ukraine War, death of Queen Elizabeth II and municipal election define Saanich Peninsula in 2022

Housing, rising inflation and hunger among key issues in region

Sidney Town Crier Kenny Podmore led the procession down Beacon Avenue on Sept. 19 as part of a ceremony organized by the Town of Sidney to mark the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her funeral. (Black Press Media file photo)
A local woman walks to the distribution point of humanitarian aid in front of housing which was damaged by Russian shelling in Kupiansk, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
A local woman walks to the distribution point of humanitarian aid in front of housing which was damaged by Russian shelling in Kupiansk, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
Ukrainian servicemen hold a flag over the coffin of their comrade during the funeral ceremony of Volodymyr Yezhov killed in a battlefield with Russian forces at St. Volodymyr Cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022. Yezhov was a game designer in the development of the game Cossacks 2. He was also one of the authors of the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky. Yezhov was also one of the most famous Ukrainian e-sportsmen — played StarCraft under the nickname Fresh. Since the Russian invasion, Volodymyr Yezhov went to the frontline and fought as part of the volunteer squadron. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Russia’s foreign minister calls for Ukraine to demilitarize

Ukraine says it wants a peace summit, but that first Russia must answer for alleged war crimes

Ukrainian servicemen hold a flag over the coffin of their comrade during the funeral ceremony of Volodymyr Yezhov killed in a battlefield with Russian forces at St. Volodymyr Cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022. Yezhov was a game designer in the development of the game Cossacks 2. He was also one of the authors of the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky. Yezhov was also one of the most famous Ukrainian e-sportsmen — played StarCraft under the nickname Fresh. Since the Russian invasion, Volodymyr Yezhov went to the frontline and fought as part of the volunteer squadron. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
People receive humanitarian aid at a distribution spot in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)

VIDEO: Aid volunteers feed Ukrainians in frontline villages

Thousands living through the winter without power, running water

People receive humanitarian aid at a distribution spot in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)
Ukrainians David Tiuptia (4), Maria Kozelets (6), Liana Kozelets (13), in the foreground, enjoy playing in the snow with Canadians Maria Gileff (11) and her three younger brothers (Ian, Daniel and Timmy). The three families are all living at the Gileff home, and all 17 of them will celebrate Christmas together. (Special to Black Press Media)

Three families mark Christmas together

Two Ukrainian refugee families living with Maple Ridge family part of a large Canadian celebration

  • Dec 23, 2022
Ukrainians David Tiuptia (4), Maria Kozelets (6), Liana Kozelets (13), in the foreground, enjoy playing in the snow with Canadians Maria Gileff (11) and her three younger brothers (Ian, Daniel and Timmy). The three families are all living at the Gileff home, and all 17 of them will celebrate Christmas together. (Special to Black Press Media)
Vitali Hrechka poses for a photo with his wife Evelina, daughter Emiliia, and mother Hanna, after the St. Nicholas Day celebration at St. Demetrius Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Toronto on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. The family recently arrived in Canada after leaving their home in Ukraine’s Transkarpathia region. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Ukrainians who fled war set to mark first Christmas in Canada, far from loved ones

Many newcomers are women and children, separated from male members of their family

Vitali Hrechka poses for a photo with his wife Evelina, daughter Emiliia, and mother Hanna, after the St. Nicholas Day celebration at St. Demetrius Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Toronto on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. The family recently arrived in Canada after leaving their home in Ukraine’s Transkarpathia region. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in the launch ceremony of The Kovykta gas condensate field via videoconference in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. (Mikhail Kuravlev/Pool Photo via AP)

Russian military to reach 1.5M; Putin vows to win in Ukraine

Russian leader accused the West of centuries-long efforts to weaken and eventually break up Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in the launch ceremony of The Kovykta gas condensate field via videoconference in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. (Mikhail Kuravlev/Pool Photo via AP)
Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres delivers remarks prior to a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Montreal on Wednesday, December 7, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

UN chief strongly hopes war in Ukraine will end in 2023

Antonio Guterres said he sees no prospect of talks to end the war in Ukraine in the immediate future

Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres delivers remarks prior to a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Montreal on Wednesday, December 7, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Ukrainians take photos of a newly built Christmas tree as partial power outages continue in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Jewish festival of lights begins in Ukraine as battles rage

Tens of thousands remain without electricity

Ukrainians take photos of a newly built Christmas tree as partial power outages continue in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)
A dog passes by an unexploded shell in Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles with the Russian troops, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)

Ukraine PM urges more military aid to counter Russia attacks

Russian shelling reported on Monday in the eastern regions of Ukraine

A dog passes by an unexploded shell in Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battles with the Russian troops, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)
A TV tower lies in the park after beinf blown up by Russian forces in Kherson, Ukraine, Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

NATO chief fears Ukraine war could widen into wider conflict

‘It is a war that can become a full-fledged war that spreads into a major war between NATO and Russia’

A TV tower lies in the park after beinf blown up by Russian forces in Kherson, Ukraine, Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)
People check the damage at their apartments hit by a Russian missile in Mykolaiv, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. This was the year war returned to Europe, and few facets of life were left untouched. Russia’s invasion of its neighbor Ukraine unleashed misery on millions of Ukrainians, shattered Europe’s sense of security, ripped up the geopolitical map and rocked the global economy. The shockwaves made life more expensive in homes across Europe, worsened a global migrant crisis and complicated the world’s response to climate change.(AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Putin vows to persist with strikes in Ukraine, ignoring West

Kremlin demands Kyiv recognize Crimea and other land gains in Ukraine as part of Russia

People check the damage at their apartments hit by a Russian missile in Mykolaiv, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. This was the year war returned to Europe, and few facets of life were left untouched. Russia’s invasion of its neighbor Ukraine unleashed misery on millions of Ukrainians, shattered Europe’s sense of security, ripped up the geopolitical map and rocked the global economy. The shockwaves made life more expensive in homes across Europe, worsened a global migrant crisis and complicated the world’s response to climate change.(AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
FILE - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his office in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 9, 2022. Time Magazine on Wednesday Dec. 7, 2022 named Zelenskyy its person of the year, awarding him the accolade “for proving that courage can be as contagious as fear.” (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)

Zelenskyy and ‘spirit of Ukraine’ named Time person of year

Zelenskyy has worked to inspire Ukraine’s resistance to Russian attack and marshal global support

FILE - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his office in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 9, 2022. Time Magazine on Wednesday Dec. 7, 2022 named Zelenskyy its person of the year, awarding him the accolade “for proving that courage can be as contagious as fear.” (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File)
Workers with the HALO Trust organization use a detector as they perform demining operations in the village of Peremoha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Patrice Bergeron

VIDEO: Canadian-funded group works to remove landmines left in Ukraine

Explosives left behind by retreating Russian soldiers

Workers with the HALO Trust organization use a detector as they perform demining operations in the village of Peremoha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Patrice Bergeron