Ukrainian refugees surprise North Bay shoppers by breaking out into song to commemorate the war's one-year anniversary
CTV
With one voice in the middle of Northgate Shopping Centre in North Bay, a group of Ukrainian refugees surprised mall-goers by breaking into song to pay their respects of the war in Ukraine.
With one voice in the middle of Northgate Shopping Centre in North Bay, a group of Ukrainian refugees surprised mall-goers by breaking into song to pay their respects of the war in Ukraine.
Written in the early days of WWI, the group bellowed the lyrics to ‘Oh There Is A Red Viburnum In The Meadow.’ This traditional Ukrainian song symbolizes strength and resistance.
"This song is like an emblem of Ukrainians in the war for resistance and for all free Ukrainians," said refugee and singer Andrii Bieliaiev.
The group, who carried Ukraine flags and dressed in blue and yellow, wanted to sing to pay respect to fellow Ukrainians who have fallen in the attack on their country and also commemorate the war's one year anniversary.
"I'm still upset and I really can't understand how this could happen," said Dmytro Korotkyah, another refugee and singer, at the event.
The song was popular during the liberation war for the independence of Ukraine in 1918 and regained popularity in the first few days of the Russian invasion.
