'Scared every day': Montrealers march for end to violence in Ukraine, many call for no-fly zone
Maryna Krejcarova says she hasn’t been able to sleep since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly a month ago.
"We are scared every day," she said. "We are waking up checking the news from Ukraine. I can’t tell you they’re fine because they’re not."
Krejcarova, who is part of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, marched through the streets of Montreal with hundreds of other demonstrators Saturday.
The demonstration began with recordings of air raid sirens. Many of those there called for peace in the region and echoed calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for allied leaders to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
"Russia has turned the Ukrainian sky into the source of death for thousands of people," said Zelenskyy, appearing before the United States congress by video conference on March 17. "I call on you to do more."
"We need you right now,” he added. “The destiny of our country is being decided."
READ MORE: Zelensky invokes Sept. 11 terror attacks in appeal to U.S. Congress
Hundreds of Montrealers gathered in downtown Montreal calling for an end to violence in Ukraine and for world leaders to enforce a no-fly zone in the country's airspace on March 19, 2022. (Angela MacKenzie, CTV News)
Hundreds of Montrealers gathered in downtown Montreal calling for an end to violence in Ukraine and for world leaders to enforce a no-fly zone in the country's airspace on March 19, 2022. (Angela MacKenzie, CTV News)
U.S. President Joe Biden, who said he listened to Zelensky's speech at the White House, did not directly respond to the criticism that the U.S. should be doing more for the Ukrainians. But said the country is "united in our abhorrence of Putin's depraved onslaught, and we're going to continue to have their backs as they fight for their freedom, their democracy, their very survival."
A no-fly zone is "absolutely vital," according to Ukrainian Canadian Congress Executive Council Member Michael Shwec. “The only planes that are flying over Ukraine right now are Russian planes that are bombing the country."
On March 22, a free benefit concert will take place at Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica. The Korwin-Szymanowski foundation, which organized that event, will accept donations in support of humanitarian work at the Polish-Ukrainian border.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress has also been collecting first-aid materials to ship overseas to aid civilians.
-- For more details on the demonstration, watch CTV News’'Angela MacKenzie’s report above. This article was published with files from The Associated Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.