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Letters: A thank you and a warning – from Ukrainian Sunshine Coast residents

A trio of Ukrainian flags

Editor: 

To all our friends and people on the Sunshine Coast - thank you from the bottom of our hearts! 

For the last few days we’ve been living like in a dream, everything seems not real. That can not be happening for real. But life here, in Canada, seems to go on – people work like always, do groceries as always, meet with friends like always, go to bars and so on. It is understandable.   

But we do remember just a week ago, when a journalist in Kyiv asked people what they thought about a possible Russian invasion. Almost all of them would say it is not going to happen, and they were living the same life as always. Things can turn upside down very fast.   

What I am trying to say is, the chance of nuclear war is high as never before.   

We are so lucky to live in the most beautiful country in the world. Canada is a dream country for so many people. We are blessed to live on the Coast and call Sechelt our home for last 29 years!   

After war started, we received emails, phone calls, people are stopping by. Lots of words of support and offers to help. We are very grateful for this. There is one thing you can really do. We ask you to think a little bit about the situation in Ukraine and figure out how can you contribute to save Ukraine. It could be more activity in social media. Please share with your friends and family video of crimes and disaster caused by the Russian invasion. There are many of them. The more people are aware the better. If possible, you can find many organizations to donate money.   

In Ukraine, it’s a war for survival. But it’s also the war for our world. Ukrainians are also fighting for peace in your countries.  The fate of Ukraine is a matter of days. If not hours. Hoards of Russian troops and military machines continuously arriving to the border from different directions. If the government falls, world leaders will be forced to give a more serious response.   

It may get much further than sanctions. Don’t wait too long. We could wake up tomorrow in another reality, just as Ukrainians woke up on February 24  at 5 a.m. 

Yuri and Mira Keschak, Sechelt