Latest news with #Shykota
Global News
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Three years into war with Russia, Ukrainians continue to settle in Manitoba
Since leaving Ukraine in August 2022, Mila Shykota has built a new life in Winnipeg. Her daughter is in school. She and her partner bought a house. She even traveled to Kyiv last year to visit family and bring her beloved cat home to Canada. 'I can say I have integrated into Canadian life, but of course I miss my homeland and I worry about it,' she said. 'I'm reading news feeds every day, and I am keeping in touch with my mom and with my relatives.' Shykota is one of the 298,128 Ukrainians who came to Canada through the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET), a federal program introduced in March 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Roughly 30,000 Ukrainians made their way to Manitoba, according to Joanne Lewandosky, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress's Manitoba chapter. Story continues below advertisement 'People are still coming here on a regular basis,' she said. 'Just last week we had a call from Tennessee … and we get regular calls from Europe, people who now maybe in Poland or in Italy.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Lewandosky says the UCC also sees people who initially settled in other provinces choosing to move to Manitoba due to the cost of living and the province's large Ukrainian population. The Manitoba government had offered supports to Ukrainian refugees, including child care and reimbursement for immigration medical exams. With those programs no longer in place, Lewandosky says the UCC's goal is to fill the 'gaps' that are left. 'We still have a help center here. People are still bringing things and people are taking them,' she said. The organization is also providing English classes in Gimli, Brandon, Winkler, and Winnipeg, thanks to provincial funding. Nine hundred students will begin classes in the fall. 'That is definitely filling a gap that's very prominent right now in the province of Manitoba,' Lewandosky said. Shykota has secured permanent residency, but for some other Ukrainians in Canada under the CUAET, the future isn't as certain. Those who arrived on or before March 31, 2024, are able to apply for work or study permits through temporary immigration measures, but those who arrived after must do so through Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada's regular process. The federal government announced cuts to immigration targets last year. Story continues below advertisement 'I know many who had gone back from Canada to Europe and even to Ukraine,' Shykota said. As she moves forward with life in Winnipeg, Shykota said every day the war continues is 'psychological pressure' for Ukrainians, one that claims victims each day. 'Ukraine is a very brave country. Our people are really heroes, but we need help, we need support, because it is not the war just for Ukraine, it is just for the whole world, and you can support us,' she said.
Winnipeg Free Press
09-06-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘She's all of us': mural illustrates ties between city, grateful Ukrainian newcomers
Blue and yellow ribbons wrapping around the city's skyline show the deep connection between Ukraine and Manitoba in a new mural. Take Pride Winnipeg, a downtown non-profit that seeks to clean up and inspire civic pride, unveiled its newest mural, titled 'Pray for Ukraine' in the Exchange District on Monday. It pictures a Ukrainian woman in traditional clothing stoically gazing into the distance as butterflies and a dove — which symbolize hope, peace and rebirth — flutter around the Esplanade Riel and Canadian Museum for Human Rights. The installation at Exchange District BIZ at 492 Main St. was painted by Jennifer Mosienko, who's worked on more than 40 murals across the city. Mila Shykota, a 46-year-old Ukrainian newcomer and the brainchild behind the project, wanted to repay the generosity Winnipeggers have showed her and others with an art piece that intertwined the two cultures with the colours of Ukraine and Canada. 'I wanted to convey the longing for the motherland, that feeling when you're physically here but still worry about your home country,' said Shykota. 'This mural reflects the difficulties and hopes of all immigrants, and at the same, thanks Canada for the feeling of support.' More than 20,000 Ukrainians have made Manitoba home since the war began in 2022, federal numbers show. Shykota was living in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital city, and moved with her husband and daughter to Winnipeg after Russian forces invaded. She had visited Winnipeg multiple times in 2015, when her husband was studying at the University of Manitoba. She sees herself in the woman portrayed in the mural and believes it represents all Ukrainians who fled the war. 'She's all of us,' said Shykota. 'We all the feel the same way. We had to start our news lives from scratch.' Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. Shykota, who has lived in Winnipeg for three years, began fundraising for the 20 x 30 mural after deciding it was the best way to show appreciation to her new city. The campaign raised $25,000 and she brought the idea to Take Pride Winnipeg, who connected her with Mosienko. The two worked together on the project for a year, refining the idea before Mosienko began the brush strokes. Painting it took nearly three months. The artist said it was an emotional experience for her because her husband and relatives are Ukrainian, and she grew up eating Ukrainian dishes and celebrating Ukrainian traditions. 'I hope it will mean a lot to the Ukrainian people that live here and the ones that are newcomers as well, that they can look at it and say 'we have a place here, too,'' Mosienko said.
Winnipeg Free Press
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Hundreds mark Vyshyvanka Day at the Forks
Winnipeg On May 11, the Forks turned a little Ukrainian, as hundreds marked Vyshyvanka Day with music, sweets and souvenirs. The celebration was highlighted by artists using chalk to create a Ukrainian vyshyvanka pattern on the sidewalk. 'It employs three classic colours — red, white, and black,' organizer Mila Shykota said. 'White is for wisdom, red is for love, and black is for sadness.' Held every May, Vyshyvanka Day celebrates the traditions of Ukrainian clothing. Some credit its origins to university student Lesya Voronyuk, who in 2006 encouraged her classmates to wear an embroidered shirt, or 'vyshyvanka'. In two decades, Vyshyvanka Day has spread to more than 70 countries. Photo by Tony Zerucha Hundreds celebrated Vyshyvanka Day at the Forks on May 11. The celebration was highlighted by artists using chalk to create a Ukrainian vyshyvanka pattern on the sidewalk. 'Vyshyvanka Day is a significant holiday for Ukrainians,' Shykota said. 'All Ukrainians and those who support Ukraine around the world wear embroidered shirts and host significant events.' Shykota thanked Winnipeggers and Manitobans for warmly embracing the many thousands of Ukrainians who have come to Manitoba. Winnipeg and Lviv are sister cities, and the region has a strong Ukrainian presence dating back generations. 'It is the Ukrainian capital of Canada,' Shykota said. 'It is only natural that Winnipeg is the first city in Canada with a Ukrainian Vyshyvanka Boulevard.' Shykota thanked the Forks for allowing her to host the event and the City of Winnipeg Public Works Department for organizing the venue. Freshco Pembina Highway provided treats for the kids. 'Much of the Ukrainian community gathered,' Shykota said. 'They sang Ukrainian songs, took pictures and talked. I'm excited and so glad that a lot of Ukrainians came together.' In August, Shykota, her husband and daughter will mark three years in Winnipeg. They both have good jobs, and their daughter is enrolled in French immersion. One year ago, they bought a house. They have permanent residency. This is their second time in Winnipeg. Shykota's husband studied at the University of Manitoba almost a decade ago, and she joined him here before they returned to Ukraine. Mondays A weekly look at news and events that matter in your communities. 'We have a good life in Winnipeg,' she said. 'We were initially scared to start a new life in a different country and a different language.' Their parents remain in Ukraine, so the war is never far away. Shykota's daily calls to friends and relatives revolve around who has recently fled to a shelter. 'Every single day, Russia bombs and attacks Ukrainian cities,' she said. 'They say they only attack military targets, but it is not true. They attack hospitals, children's play yards, and civilian objects. 'Everyone in Ukraine is focused on helping the Armed Forces and civilians raise money. We're constantly donating to organizations.' Vyshyvanka Day celebrations also had a practical component, as Shykota and her team sold puzzle pieces for $5 each. Proceeds were used to buy a reconnaissance drone for a regiment fighting the Russians near Kharkiv. Donations can be e-transferred to Shykota at mila655@ Tony ZeruchaEast Kildonan community correspondent Tony Zerucha is a community correspondent for East Kildonan. Email him at tzerucha@ Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
