Ukrainian woman living in Saskatoon vows to not give up on her country

A Ukrainian woman living in Saskatoon is committed to doing her part a world away.

“I’m not going to give up on my country and my people,” Anna Smirnova told CTV News.

“It’s heartbreaking and it should be stopped, it’s like a nightmare,” she said of the Russian invasion.

Her mom still lives in her hometown of Uman in central Ukraine along with her aunt. Smirnova says they are fine at the moment but have to put up with the regular sounds of bombs going off which is wearing on them.

It’s for her family and all the people of Ukraine that Smirnova wants to help her school friend Oresta Brit who is collecting and distributing aid in Kyiv.

“I am really proud of her,” she says.

Brit, a former model with a degree in public relations, is raising money to help bring supplies from all over Europe to the Ukrainian military as well as ensuring those in need get essentials. Brit has started Bon Charity Ukraine.

“I saw that there were thousands of hungry people,” Brit said.

Those people that are unable to leave their apartments because they’re seniors or have mobility issues can put a white paper in their window indicating they need food or medicine.

In a country just starting to build accessible housing, Smirnova says getting necessities is a huge barrier for many, especially in a war zone.

“We still have the Soviet Union-style buildings with no elevators at all. Five-level apartments without elevators and there are people with special needs living on level five,” Smirnova said.

They get about a thousand requests daily from people in need in the capital city of Kyiv alone, according to Brit.

“To all my friends from all over the world. Your strength gives me strength to help our heroes in the fight against this evil,” Brit said in a video posted to her social media.