Galyna Danyliuk knew she would miss her daughter and grandsons when they fled to Canada shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, but she felt it was best she stay behind to protect their family home.
The 68-year-old hairdresser lives in Rivne, with a population of 240,000, about 330 kilometres west of the capital of Kyiv.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a little bit lonely but I鈥檓 in a safe place,鈥� Danyliuk told The Canadian Press through an interpreter.
鈥淚 really want to see them, but it鈥檚 hard, it鈥檚 really hard. I feel like I鈥檓 alone. I know they are safe, but right now they are on the other side of the world,鈥� she added.
Danyliuk鈥檚 daughter Kateryna Stepanchuk and her two sons, ages 12 and 16, left Ukraine last year, just months after the Russian invasion.
She and her son-in-law Anatolly Stepanchuk remain behind.
鈥淚 cannot leave my household and all of this here in Ukraine because my daughter鈥檚 husband is left here in Ukraine and he鈥檚 doing a job.鈥�
Men between the ages of 18 and 60 were banned from leaving Ukraine after Russia invaded the country. The Ukrainian government is not forcing men to fight, but they must register and remain in the country.
There is a chance of enforced conscription if the violence continues.
鈥淚鈥檓 pleased that they are keeping safe and they are in a peaceful and comfortable place,鈥� Danyliuk said of her family in Canada.
Danyliuk鈥檚 family is now living in Calgary with her granddaughter.
Anastasiia Stepanchuk has been in Calgary since 2018, where she obtained her doctorate in neuroscience, and now conducts research on dementia and Alzheimer鈥檚 at the University of Calgary鈥檚 Foothills campus.
She said her family is getting used to life in Canada, but it can be difficult.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e been adapting remarkably well. However, I鈥檝e been talking to my brothers 鈥� and they still miss home a lot,鈥� she said.
鈥淓ven my little brother said what if something happens and we鈥檙e not there, it would just pain all of us to not be able to do anything.鈥�
Due to its location, Rivne is considered relatively safe, but there have been some rocket attacks. She said her grandmother witnessed one first-hand.
鈥淚t was one of the times that the missile hit my hometown 鈥� and she was at the market and she was telling me - I saw this huge black thing flying across the sky,鈥� Stepanchuk said.
鈥淎ll of a sudden, people in the market are running around in panic and she was just like, 鈥榃ell I鈥檓 going to go to the store and buy a couple of things because there鈥檚 not going to be lines anymore,鈥欌�� she added with a laugh.
Stepanchuk applauds her grandmother for her resilience and sense of humour, but it was still stressful to hear.
The first few days of the invasion was a particularly rough time as Stepanchuk watched events unfolding. Now she realizes it鈥檚 going to be a drawn-out affair and Ukrainians have gone through similar crises in the past as they fought for independence.
鈥淚t pains me to see that they will have to rebuild the country from the ruins once it鈥檚 over.鈥�
Stepanchuk left home when she was 17 to attend university. Now living in Calgary, she doesn鈥檛 rule out a return home if she鈥檚 needed.
鈥淚鈥檓 not saying Calgary is my home forever or Canada is my home forever. Life is interesting,鈥� she said.
鈥淵ou never know where you will end up and if I would be most needed back home, I would be happy to come back and do the best I can.鈥�
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