'Would I be the one trying to take up guns?': Ukrainian man living in B.C. watches war unfold through his phone

During a video call with a friend in Ukraine, Pavlo Ponikarovskyi can hear explosions from the other end.

Artem Anastasov and Ponikarovskyi have known each other since they were children. Ponikarovskyi now lives in New Westminster, B.C., while Anastasov has just fled Kyiv after the city was attacked by Russian forces. He’s now in a village about 30 kilometres south of the capital.

“It’s safe, I think, maybe? But this night I heard some explosions,” Anastasov said during the call. Listening with a sympathetic ear, Ponikarovskyi worries what the long-term effect of war will be on his friend.

“I can’t imagine how triggering those sounds are going to become for the rest of his life,” Ponikarovskyi said.

The main source of information for both men is a messaging app called Telegram, a way for people all across the country to share videos and stories of where Russian and Ukrainian forces are located. Even the Ukrainian president uses it to communicate with citizens.

Ponikarovskyi said he’s seen videos of burnt bodies, destroyed homes and terrified citizens trying to flee. One video shows a collection of rifles and ammunition available for any Ukrainian who wants one to fight.

“They just dropping off assault rifles and saying hey, if you want to pick up the assault rifle, you’re welcome to,” said Ponikarovskyi, pondering what he would have done if he were there. “Would I be the one to leave? Or would I be the one trying to take up guns? I have no idea how my life would have played out.”

Ponikarovskyi is one of the co-organizers of a major rally planned at the Vancouver Art Gallery on Saturday, expected to be a much larger version of a spontaneous event on Thursday.

“Right now it’s 1,300 people in the Facebook event (but) it’s going to be a big crowd – a very, very big crowd,” Ponikarovskyi said, adding it will be a bittersweet event. A combination of connecting with people, while friends and family in Ukraine live in a war zone.

“I feel like what I’m experiencing is not even relevant considering the damage and trauma everyone in the country is going through,’ Ponikarovskyi said.