Canadians flee potential Russian invasion in Moldova, others arrive to help relief efforts

Canadians have arrived in Moldova to help in relief efforts, in a country struggling to deal with the influx of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.

While waiting in Moldova for a Canadian visa, Pavel Barnaciuc moved to the Ukrainian border to help the influx of incoming refugees.

A week earlier, Barnaciuc’s Canadian wife, Becky, and their three children fled to Saskatchewan to stay with family. They feared that Moldova would be targeted next in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the proximity of fighting in the south.

The family lived in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau, is which is less than 200 kilometres from Odesa, the Black Sea city and port that Russian troops are advancing towards. Now settled in Norquay, Sask., Barnaciuc’s wife is desperately emailing local MPs in the hopes of fast-tracking his visa application.

In the meantime, Barnaciuc works in a large tent on the Ukrainian side of the Moldovan border, helping to feed and warm weary refugees who arrive on foot.

“It’s really hard. I see families with kids and you have to be very strong and keep serving the people, otherwise you’ll just collapse. We have to stay strong. I can’t imagine my kids going through such things like that. That’s one of the driving decisions motivating me to help people,” he tells Global News in Ukraine.

Barnaciuc is one of many with Canadian connections, or Canadians themselves, who are currently in Moldova aiding in relief efforts.

The small, land-locked country, sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine, is struggling with the influx of refugees.

As of March 10, some 300,000 Ukrainians have entered Moldova since Feb. 24. As one of the poorest countries in Europe, Moldova does not have the resources to cope with the constant stream of new arrivals.