Thousands rally in Toronto to show support for Ukraine on 2nd anniversary of Russian invasion
CBC
Thousands of people rallied in a downtown Toronto square on Saturday to show their support for Ukraine on the second anniversary of the Russian invasion.
Several blue and yellow flags of Ukraine could be seen in the large crowd that gathered in Nathan Phillips Square in the cold for the Stand with Ukraine rally.
The rally, organized by the Toronto branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, drew several elected officials, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.
Ford said the province will always stand with the people of Ukraine. He said the fight against Russia is not only a fight about land but also a fight for freedom and democracy.
"Do you know what the people of Ukraine need? They need weapons. They need ammunition. That's what they need. They need drones," Ford told the crowd.
Ford said more than 126,000 Ukrainians have come to Ontario since 2022.
"The bonds between our two countries run deep," Ford said.
Russia launched a military invasion in Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine says it has verified that more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and nearly 20,000 have been injured in the conflict.
"The actual numbers are likely significantly higher," the mission says on its website.
"Millions across the country have lost their homes, been forced to flee, or endured other hardship due to lack of access to basic services as a result of the war," the mission continues.
The mission says hundreds of medical and educational institutions, along with critical infrastructure related to energy and grain export, have been damaged.
"Entire cities have been destroyed."
Chow, for her part, said Toronto welcomes Ukrainians who have fled war in their country. She said the city provides shelter for them and supports them.
"We are far from Ukraine, but our hearts are there," Chow said.
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