Ukrainian family arrives in Saskatoon one year after war broke out

One week ago, Olha and Mykola Kyva arrived in Saskatoon with their three kids.

It’s also one year since the family fled their home in Ukraine when Russia first invaded their country.

“It’s very hard for us,” Olha said. “We saw everything. It’s very (scary). Last year, we moved and this year we don’t go to (our) home.”

The family of five — with twin four-year-old boys Ivan and Makar and two-year-old Milana — was living only about seven kilometres from where war broke out in Ukraine one year ago when Russia first attacked.

Mykola Kyva helps his son, Makar, draw in their hotel room on Feb. 23, 2023. (Libby Giesbrecht/650 CKOM)

Quickly, packing only a suitcase with some clothes and a bit of food for the kids, the Kyva family left Ukraine and drove six hours straight the first night. The family spent the next month in Slovakia, then lived in Iceland for 10 months.

While Olha and Mykola said Iceland is a nice place to visit, the few hours of sunlight and daily storms didn’t suit their lifestyle long term. However, they were able to start learning English and apply for their children’s travel and immigration documents that they hadn’t been able to take when they fled Ukraine.

In October, Mykola said, they applied to come to Canada.

Olha said she liked that her kids would be able to go to school in a city without an overwhelming number of people — so they settled on Saskatoon.

“It’s not so big (a) city like Toronto … and it’s (a) good start here,” she said.

Since arriving, the Kyva family has been working on getting their paperwork and documentation completed, like applying for SIN numbers.

Olha and Mykola said they haven’t been without help.

On their way to Saskatoon from Iceland, the Kyvas’ flight was delayed in Toronto. That’s where they connected with another family from Saskatoon who made a post to Facebook encouraging people to help them find lodging and employment.

The Kyvas spent Family Day at that family’s home. They’ve also had some help from the family — and another Saskatoon woman who has family connections to Ukraine — with figuring out paperwork and getting rides.

The family has also taken taxis and buses to get where they need to go, although waiting for a bus in the cold with three kids under five can be a task, Mykola said with a smile.

Mykola has already had a few job interviews and more are scheduled. He’s trained in engineering and construction work and says he’s trying to become acquainted with Canadian requirements. Olha worked for seven years as an accountant and then as a cleaner while in Iceland.

As the world marks one year since war broke out in Ukraine, it’s a sombre memory for Olha and Mykola. Both still have family living there, and Olha has pictures on her phone of the now-seven-month-old niece she hasn’t been able to meet yet.

But the young family is looking ahead to what Olha called a good future for their kids in Saskatoon.