Alberta's Ukrainian community concerned for family, friends overseas

The Ukrainian community in Alberta is growing concerned for family and friends in Ukraine, after Russia further escalated the situation along the countries' shared border.

Fighting in the Donbas region, in eastern Ukraine, has been happening since 2014. But Russia recently mobilized about 100,000 troops, as well as tanks and artillery, near Ukraine's northern, eastern and southern borders, suggesting there may be an invasion if Russia doesn't get its geopolitical whims.

"There's a lot of concern within our community here in Alberta, because we are deep-rooted," said Orysia Boychuk, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress - Alberta Provincial Council.

Generations of Ukrainians have immigrated to Alberta over the last 130 years, and many people within the local Ukrainian community still have ties to people who still live in the eastern European country, Boychuk explained.

"There is a very deep emotional connection," she said. "We're concerned for the political stability of the country and what the future holds for Ukraine, because there is a lot of fear, there's a lot of tension going on right now."

Ukraine has been working toward becoming a member of NATO  — the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a political and military alliance between North American and European member countries — for several years.

But Russia says it wants NATO to not accept the country into its alliance, as well as a guarantee from the organization that it won't expand into areas Russia considers part of its sphere of influence.

Russia also wants the United States to remove nuclear weapons from Europe and for Western allied countries to stop rotating their troops through several eastern European countries.

NATO has rejected these demands, so Russia's recent military action appears to be a power move to get its way.

Several countries, including Canada, have threatened to impose economic sanctions on Russia if it invades. 

Regardless, the situation is seen as the most significant escalation since the Cold War — the open yet restricted decades-long rivalry between the U.S. and former Soviet Union, and their respective allies, that brought fears of nuclear war.

The people living in Ukraine are trying to remain calm, but they're worried — particularly those who live closer to the country's borders, said Boychuk, based on conversations she and others have had with loved ones.

"They're thinking about what the next steps are and what that would that actually mean now, should they go to war, and what the implications [would be] for them," she said.

If war breaks out, millions of people will likely flee Ukraine and seek refugee status elsewhere, said Boychuk.