Alberta father fighting on the front lines to defend Ukraine: ‘It’s a full-scale war’

From an oilfield paramedic in northern Alberta to a combat medic on the streets of Ukraine: a father of two has been on the front line as a combat medic for the last seven weeks.

At the start of March, 48-year-old Victor went from being an oilfield paramedic in northern Alberta, to a combat medic on the streets of war-torn Ukraine.

“When this war started, this was actually my duty, to come here and help,” he said.

The father of two has been in Ukraine twice before — in 2018 and 2019 — helping the military. His girlfriend is Ukrainian and she decided to stay and fight for her country when the war broke out two months ago.

Victor said in her first night of sleeping in a barracks, it was targeted by Russians.

“They got heavy artillery barrage, they got shelled.

What proceeded was the worst ten hours of his life, he said — thinking the worst. But when his girlfriend told him she survived, Victor decided to join the fight and booked the next flight overseas.

He said he wants to do something good with his life. Working with a Ukrainian special forces troop, he helps soldiers when they’re wounded. When possible, he helps civilians too.

“Combat first, medic second. Basically I am a soldier. I have all my gear, my gun.”