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City of Fernie flies Ukrainian flag

The Mayor voiced support for those affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine
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The City of Fernie has put up a Ukrainian flag at Fernie City Hall to show support for those affected by the Russian invasion. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

The City of Fernie is flying the flag of Ukraine to show support for the eastern European country during the ongoing Russian invasion.

“The unprovoked actions of Russia are an attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty,” said Mayor Ange Qualizza.

“We are flying the Ukrainian flag at City Hall to show support for our Ukrainian community, and to everyone in our community that is struggling with the conflict,” she said.

“On December 2, 1991, Canada became the first western country to recognize Ukraine’s independence, we will proudly fly the flag to show our support for the people of Ukraine.”

The war in Ukraine has been ongoing since Feb. 24, with Russian president Vladimir Putin justifying what Russian leadership is calling a “special military operation” as an effort to protect Russian-speaking minorities and ‘de-nazify’ Ukraine.

So far, the United Nations has recorded over 400 civilian deaths (with numbers predicted to surge far higher amid an ongoing bombing campaign), with over 1.7 million people displaced from their homes across Ukraine.

Communities around Canada have been raising the Ukrainian flag in solidarity ever since.

Canada has one of the largest concentration of Ukrainians outside of Europe, and the Canadian Government has introduced new immigration measures to help those displaced by the conflict.

The Canadian government is aligned with key allies in the Americas, Europe and Asia in opposing the invasion, and was one of 141 countries at the UN to vote to denounce Russian aggression.

READ MORE: Trudeau heading to Europe as Ukraine crisis intensifies



scott.tibballs@thefreepress.ca
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