Local Ukrainian families show their pride ahead of presidential visit
By Brad Aubin
Ukrainians living in North Bay along with dozens of other local residents were at the Jack Garland Airport on Friday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the city.
Among them were local students Ivan Horbatenko, Sasha and Artem Milituin, and Markus Kozhevin.
“It’s an exciting time,” said 14-year-old Horbatenko, who attends Chippewa. “It’s an opportunity to show off our spirit from all the way in Canada.”
“We knew he was going to be in the some major cities, so for him to stop here is exciting,” added Sasha, who is also enrolled at Chippewa. “It brings lots of memories.”
12-year-old Markus Kozhevin is a West Ferris student. He said it’s an opportunity to show off their country, their spirit and their pride to the president.
Zelenskyy, who was in Alberta last week to sign new partnerships with Canada regarding drones and defence, made a quick stop into YYB to visit the Ukrainian pilots currently training at the International Test Pilot School.
Also at the airport was Horbatenko’s grandmother, Inna Hordieieva.
“Zelensky keeps our people safe, fights for our country, and helps to win the war,” she said while holding a bouquet of flowers.
Crystal James, who hosted the families when they first came to North Bay following Russia’s invasion in 2022, says some of their family remains overseas, fighting.
“Yvan’s brother was attending military school when (Russia invaded). He was just 17. He remains there today, serving as a member of Ukraine’s Special Forces,” said James.
James added their father was a military officer who fought the Russians when they invaded Crimea in 2014, and was wounded in combat, later dying as a result of complications from a contaminated blood transfusion.
“It means this one family spans an extraordinary part of Ukraine’s recent history,” shared James. “A father served and ultimately lost his life. His teenage son took up the defence of his country when Russia invaded. His mother and younger brother were forced to build a new life thousands of kilometres away in Northern Ontario. And now his 66-year-old grandmother has fled the increasingly severe bombardment of Kyiv and joined them here in North Bay — while he remains behind serving Ukraine.”
James calls the Canadian side to their story ‘incredibly hopeful’.
“Irya (Horbatenko’s mother) is rebuilding her life here. Her son is part of his school and his community. He’s a student ambassador and has been invited to join the International Baccalaureate program”.
James said Irya works at Foraco, and adds staff and management there have been a ‘tremendous support system’ as she transitioned to the Canadian workforce and learned to navigate a ‘vastly different social and workplace environment that she knew in Ukraine’.
James has hosted three families in her home since the invasion began, and helped establish them in the community.
“I have watched North Bay become home to people whose families remain divided between building new lives in Canada and defending their country in Ukraine,” she said.
Brad Aubinhttp://www.mynorthbaynow.comBrad is Vista Radio's Senior News Director for Ontario. He was born in Sudbury, raised in Kapuskasing and has lived in the North Bay area for nearly 20 years. A Canadore College grad, he has worked for many newspapers across the north, and joined the broadcasting side of the business in 2020. The proud husband and father of two loves sharing important local and area news to listeners. If you have a news tip you'd like to share, e-mail baubin@vistaradio.ca.
