A native of Kiev, Ukraine, Karina Krikun sadly watches the unfolding of Russia’s assault on her home country.
Karina Krikun on the right with her younger sister in less difficult times. (Photo library)
The daily life of the resident of Les Cèdres has changed since February 24th. The anxieties she experiences daily have taken a toll. You should know that her whole family, on her mother’s side, still lives in Ukraine, more precisely in Kiev, the capital of the country.
Inevitably, when a similar situation arises, the first impulse is to find out how the relatives are doing there. Mrs. Krikun is no exception to this rule. “Not all my family members have left Kiev, says the woman who has lived in Canada since 1998. Right now, they are really trying to survive. Some are hidden and others are trying to protect the city from the assault. They are doing everything they can. The Ukrainians took up arms to withstand. We have news of some of our family members, but unfortunately, there are certain sectors that no longer have communication service so it is impossible to hear from the people who are there.”
The 35-year-old admits that the situation shakes her more than she could even imagine. “Honestly, I didn’t think it would affect me so much. I left Ukraine with my parents when I was 6 years old. We left for Israel. My parents wanted to give me a better life. At the time, Ukraine was part of the USSR. We then left Israel to come to Canada in 1998. However, I can confirm that for me, there was never any thought of the USSR. My country has always been Ukraine. As for my parents, they find the situation very difficult right now. Like me, they deal with a mixture of fear, worry and frustration.”
They will not give up
The outpouring of solidarity with the Ukrainian people brings comfort to Karina Krikun. She believes that the resilience of the people explains some of their character traits. “Ukrainians will never give up, she said. I’m like that, so it doesn’t surprise me. What Vladimir Putin is doing is unacceptable. The people there will defend themselves. They will not lose hope. You just have to look at the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. This man gives strength to the people. I’m afraid it will be a long war.”
Mrs. Krikun portrays the war in Ukraine in a very specific way. “It’s like someone buys a house and 10 years later the previous owner comes and sits in the living room saying he’s at home. That he would order the owners to go and cook dinner from him. It doesn’t make any sense.”
Putin’s threat
Karina Krikun has a low opinion of the Russian president. In fact, she finds it unfortunate that NATO is afraid of him. “Although Vladimir Putin makes threats with the possible use of the nuclear bomb, it remains only threats. I don’t believe he will go that far. Threatening is one thing, but taking action is another. Resorting to the nuclear bomb would also mean having fallout in Russia. I do not believe in this threat. However, as long as he uses this threat, he gives himself immense power.”
