'I need to be with my people': B.C. man prepares to join Ukrainian war effort

When Denis Polishchuk heard Russian forces had begun shelling his home country, he was heading for dinner with his parents. They were celebrating the 22nd anniversary of their arrival in Canada, having left Ukraine in search of a better life.

Immediately, the Vancouver resident knew he would be joining the Ukrainian war effort.

"I have this feeling I need to be with my people on the ground," he told CTV News on Tuesday.

"The worst pages of human history have been when good men stand aside and let these things happen without consequence."

Weeks ago, the 28-year-old quit his job with an interior design studio and began collecting donations and provisions for Ukraine. His house is now a chaotic mess of boxes and luggage.

On Thursday, he begins a long journey to Kyiv, where he will be delivering suitcases full of much-needed medical supplies, including tourniquets and blood clotting agents.

He's unsure how he'll be utilized on the ground, but believes he will remain involved in the logistics of procuring and receiving goods from Canada.

Polishchuk said he won't hesitate if called into combat – a possibility that has left his parents wrestling with a mixture of worry and pride.

"In an ideal world, they wouldn't want me to be going," he added.

"Ironically enough, one of the things my mom was worried about (when deciding to leave Ukraine) is that I would end up being drafted into the Ukrainian military."

Despite those concerns, Polishchuk travelled to Ukraine in 2015, spending six months serving in the Carpathian Sich Volunteer Battalion. He's hopeful that experience will guide him on his return.

Vancouver resident Denis Polishchuk, right, served in a volunteer battalion in Ukraine in 2015. Now, he's joining the country's war effort. His departing message to his fellow Canadians is one of gratitude for the ongoing support – financial, emotional and otherwise – they have provided Ukrainians since the start of Russia's invasion. He pointed to the success of an online fundraiser he organized through the Maple Hope Foundation, which has already raised more than $114,000. 

 

As the battle wears on, he also has a simple request.

"I know that fatigue sets in regardless of the circumstances, but I just urge everyone to not let this story slide into the back pages of the newspaper, and then eventually out of everyone's minds," Polishchuk said.

On the Canadian government's part, Polishchuk wants to see more aid, stronger condemnation against Russia, and support for a NATO-imposed no-fly zone over Ukraine.

His current plan is to spend three months in Ukraine, which would see him reunited with his parents for Canada Day.

By then, the Ukraine he leaves behind could be very different from the one he's setting out to help.

"This is the largest human catastrophe within Europe since World War II," Polishchuk said. "There's no telling how this war will end."