2022/24 Russian-Ukrainian War

[W. K. Lis]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1498626335425585154

 

[W. K. Lis]

Why does Canada still require a visa for people from Ukraine?

Visa-required​

​

The following travellers need a visa to come to Canada by any method of travel – plane, car, bus, train, or cruise ship.​

​

...​

Tuvalu​

Uganda​

Ukraine​

Uruguay​

Uzbekistan​

...​

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/entry-requirements-country.html

 

[Admiral Beez]

This reminds me of that line from the 300. "Consider the fate of your women! Spartan King Leonidas : Clearly you don't know our women!"

Ukrainian mom buys powerful hunting rifle, vows to ‘fight for Kiev’

A Ukrainian mother-of-three has armed herself with a powerful hunting rifle, vowing to “fight for Kiev” amid fears of a Russian invasion.

nypost.com

 

[W. K. Lis]

Ukrainian woman separated from husband in Canada calls for visa changes​

From link.
Posted Feb 24, 2022, 11:53AM PST.
Last Updated Feb 24, 2022, 4:43PM PST.

A Ukrainian woman says she cannot come to Canada to be with her husband due to the visa requirements, and is urging the government to remove them due to the conflict. Left image credit: AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky Right image credit: Submitted.

A woman from Ukraine is hoping Canada drops its visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens as she waits to be approved to come into the country to be with her husband in the wake of the attacks by Russia.

Ivanna Syvokon is among those who was able to flee ahead of the invasion, but her parents are still in Ukraine. Luckily, she says they are so far unharmed.

She says her mother was very calm when she spoke with her earlier Thursday.

“Directly my heart started pumping. I was panicking…. This whole situation, I’m honestly devastated. Nobody expected that the forces would be doing this way as they’re going right now,” Syvokon told CityNews.

Syvokon has been in Bulgaria for the past 10 days and is trying to get to Vancouver where her husband works and lives but can’t because of the current visa requirements. She says the last 24 hours have been terrifying and she is desperate to be reunited with her husband.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1496925155385233436

The couple haven’t seen each other in more than two years, and her previous efforts to get a visitor visa were denied.

“Unfortunately, after the first application, I was refused due to economical situation and family ties,” she said. “We are keeping in touch through phone, through internet, chatting, video calls, but we never seen each other since the 12th of January, I believe, 2020.”

She applied in January for a reunification visa after consulting with a lawyer but was told the process could take up to two years.

“Civilians are starting to die, and I’m really worried about not only my family but about all families and if they have a chance to relocate to Canada where their families or relatives, even friends … are. That would be a great option,” she said.

Calls have been mounting for Canada to remove the visa requirement, at least temporarily, and Thursday morning the prime minister offered some hope to Ukrainians.

“We’re also prioritizing immigration applications for Ukrainians who want to come to Canada and to ensure we can serve people as quickly as possible today. We are launching a new dedicated phone line for anyone at home or abroad with urgent Ukraine-related immigration questions,” he said.

“You are not alone, we are standing with you,” Trudeau said.

However, he didn’t announce Canada would follow the decisions made by other countries such as Ireland to remove it entirely. Nor did he announce a timeline.

Both the Official Opposition and the federal New Democrats have called for the removal of the visa requirement in recent days.

Syvokon says she knows many families are terrified and waiting for word like she is.

“I believe that many people have the ancestors and relatives in Canada that have connections to Ukraine. I’m more than sure they’re still worried, they are panicking [as] is my husband right in [now] Canada about what’s happening… for me having a visa free option. This would be a great solution,” she said.

 

[PinkLucy]

Why does Canada still require a visa for people from Ukraine?

Visa-required​

​

The following travellers need a visa to come to Canada by any method of travel – plane, car, bus, train, or cruise ship.​

​

...​

Tuvalu​

Uganda​

Ukraine​

Uruguay​

Uzbekistan​

...​

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/entry-requirements-country.html

There will likely be changes coming. Bergen was asking about this in question period yesterday, and Freeland indicated that there will be action but didn’t commit to anything specific. At this point, they can claim refugee status.

 

[DSC]

Why does Canada still require a visa for people from Ukraine?

Visa-required​

​

The following travellers need a visa to come to Canada by any method of travel – plane, car, bus, train, or cruise ship.​

​

...​

Tuvalu​

Uganda​

Ukraine​

Uruguay​

Uzbekistan​

...​

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/entry-requirements-country.html

In general a visa is required because the citizens of that country have been overstaying visits and going underground. That does not mean there should not be a relaxation for Ukraine at the moment but that's why its there.

 

[Bjays92]

Assuming by "our" you mean US, since we - Canada - has none of that. Even the US system, by all accounts, is still under development and currently limited in deployment.

Yes I mean the US system because Canada unfortunately lives under the assumption that should we come under fire the US air defense system will support us.

This current conflict is clear evidence that we should focus on significantly beefing up our defense capabilities independent of the US, because there is no guarantee they will actually help us.

 

[Towered]

Yes I mean the US system because Canada unfortunately lives under the assumption that should we come under fire the US air defense system will support us.

This current conflict is clear evidence that we should focus on significantly beefing up our defense capabilities independent of the US, because there is no guarantee they will actually help us.

There's logic to that assumption because it's in the interests of the US to support us in such a scenario. Plus we're both NATO members.

 

[Towered]

There are reports that Russia has already lost almost 6000 soldiers in only 6 days. Wow.

 

[W. K. Lis]

There are reports that Russia has already lost almost 6000 soldiers in only 6 days. Wow.

How many were conscripts?

From link.

As of 2021, all male citizens aged 18–27 are subject to conscription for 1 year of active duty military service in armed forces, but the precise number of conscripts for each of the recruitment campaigns, which are usually held twice annually, is prescribed by particular Presidential Decree.

 

[Towered]

How many were conscripts?

From link.

The vast majority of them. Poorly equipped, trained, and meagerly fed, and, get this - apparently most of them haven't even been told why they're there or what they're fighting for. It's a disaster.

 

[DSC]

The vast majority of them. Poorly equipped, trained, and meagerly fed, and, get this - apparently most of them haven't even been told why they're there or what they're fighting for. It's a disaster.

NEW: EU officials are considering offering asylum and refugee status for soldiers who want to desert the Russian army, as long as they have not committed war crimes. As always,
@Mij_Europe has the latest from the EU's corridors of power:

 

[DSC]

For some reason this cheers me up!

"Amid the bleak news that has emerged from Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion last week, over the weekend a more upbeat nugget of information emerged about one of the key figures involved.

Chatter erupted on social media on Sunday — first sparked by a tweet sent by Black List founder Franklin Leonard — that Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president and the man now seen around the world as the face of brave resistance against Russian aggression, had voiced Paddington Bear in the Ukrainian version of the hit 2014 animated film.

Paddington producer StudioCanal has now confirmed this news to The Hollywood Reporter, adding that he voiced the bear in Ukranian in both Paddington and Paddington 2, its smash-hit 2017 sequel."
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/m...lodymyr-zelensky-paddington-voice-1235100949/

Paddington was (or is?) very resourceful, brave and he managed to survive in difficult circumstances - maybe we should send marmalade? :=->

 

[W. K. Lis]

 

[MisterF]

Yes I mean the US system because Canada unfortunately lives under the assumption that should we come under fire the US air defense system will support us.

This current conflict is clear evidence that we should focus on significantly beefing up our defense capabilities independent of the US, because there is no guarantee they will actually help us.

The US wouldn't allow a NATO ally to be invaded. There's a reason that Russia and the USSR before it never dared to invade a NATO country. I've always thought we should increase our defence spending, not for fear of the US not helping us, but because each NATO member needs to do its part.