Local Ukrainians outraged as Soviet flag flies from boat at Vancouver marina

A woman originally from Ukraine who has lived in Vancouver’s False Creek for 23 years never thought she’d see the red Soviet Union flag with the hammer and sickle in her neighbourhood.

But that flag is now flying from the mast of a boat moored at Heather Civic Marina at Stamps Landing, and it causes Maryna distress every time she walks by.

“Every time I take a walk, I’m just dying. It’s like a war here on my heart,” said Maryna, who asked CTV News not to use her last name for fear of reprisal.

The flag of the former Soviet Union is being used as a symbol by the Russian military in the war in Ukraine today.

“It’s not even the Russian flag, this is the symbol of aggression. This flag is what Russian tanks are carrying when they are invading and bombing the cities and people in Ukraine,” said Maryna.

Myroslav Petriw, president of the League of Ukrainian Canadians in Vancouver, calls the flag an insult to Ukrainians.

“It’s what a Nazi flag would be to a Jew, OK? It’s a reminder of the horrors of the past. It’s a symbol of evil, pure evil,” said Petriw.

The Heather Civic Marina is on City of Vancouver land and managed by the Board of Parks and Recreation. In an email, a board spokesperson said: “All I have to share at this moment is that Park Board staff are aware, and are looking into the matter.”

Petriw would like to see the city take action, and questions if officials would be so slow to act if it was a swastika flag.

“We understand what that means, and I think the public has to realize that the Soviet symbol represents a very similar evil,” Petriw said.

Maryna agrees. After her conversations with marina staff, city hall and police went no where, she decided to go public.

“We need to tell the park board since you are (a) government organization, even though it’s a private boat, there should be some rules prohibiting facism, Russian fascism in that area,” she said.

While the flag still flies in False Creek, Maryna says it will be constant reminder of the terror her family and friends are facing right now in Ukraine.

“They are doing not very good, because Kyiv is surrounded,” she said. “My family, so far they are OK, but you never know when the next bomb lands.”