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HB NEWS COUNCILLOR LOSES FAMILY MEMBER TO RUSSIAN INVASION DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com Oakville Coun. Natalia Lishehyna’ says Russia’ sin in vasion Ukr claimed a f member ‘of her a 6 councillor disclosed, or peroneal loss in anemotional address be- fore council on Monday, Feb. 2' Daring this address, ‘She also called on Ukraine’ lies to increase the aon aid they are providing so the eastern European na- tion can drive Russian fore- es back. “Make no _ mistake, made the ultimate fee, including amember of membered as heroes who fought valiantly for their homeland, so their fellow Ukrainians do not have to ae under Russian occupa- vee councillor did not go into detail about her loss, but instead reflected on the events of the last year. She noted the te morning of Feb. 24, 2022, saw Rus: Jauncha full: scale! invasion Ukraine. With missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities and Russian ground forces entering Ukraine from the north, south and east, Lish- chyna noted, many had doubts Ukraine would sur- vive. These Russian forces ul- timately failed to break through to the capital of Kyiv, and with aid from NATO countries and allies, members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Territo- rial Defenses succeeded in large portions of their country. Lishchyna said these soldiers are fighting not Oakville Coun. Natalia Lishchyna. only to defend Ukraine, but for freedom and democra- cy on behalf of all of us. “As a result of this geno- cidal war, although mil. lions of Ukrainians were able to flee to safe havens across the world, including Canada, millions more be- came internally displaced, part of their daily lives over the last Town of Oakville photo year. So would living in darkness and in co through rolling blackouts without heat and water, be- ‘ussian aggres- sor es a specifically tar- get civilian infrastruc- ture," said Lish “Despite i of this, the rainian is un- breakable. Babies are born in bomb shelters, children continue to learn their les- sons in basements, doctors operate in hospi tals using generator pow Th akville councillor also drew attention to al- leged we commit- ted by Russian “ons in places like Bucl Russian troops are ac- cused of having raped, tor- tured and killed hundreds of Ukrainian civilians in that city during its occupa- tion between March 4 and Mai 5 . Lishchyna also pointed to media reports stating that since the start of the war, Russian forces have deported at least 6,000 Ukrainian children to Rus- sian Dethiate Ukrainians stopped fighting they don't have to imagine what life would be like all across the country der Russian occupa- tion,” she said. “That is why Ukraine's allies need to scale up their military assistance, to break through the current stalemate of trench war- eusyeo | Z the from tl the fall and drive the = invader finally out of their 2 ? Lighchyna said anyone a who believes there can bea i Peacef solution to this need only look back at 2 ing & lent Vladi- 8 mir Putin does not negoti- ate and cannot be trusted. “Russia must be defeat- leadership of President (Vo- lodymyr) Zelenskyy and the support of allies, Ukrai- nians will be victorious. They will rebuild their lives and their homes. They will be a shining beacon for the council proclaimed Feb. 24 wy with Ukraine We're adding and upgrading nearly 60,000 long-term care beds. See all the ways were helping you connect to care at ontario.ca/YourHealth Paid for by the Government of Ontario Ontario 7] woo"uoy]EYyapIsUt