Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia has paid a visit to Ipswich.
His Excellency Vasyl Myroshnychenko was guest of honour yesterday at an Ipswich Rotary Club fundraising event in support of Ukraine.
Ukraine is currently at war with Russia, which launched an unprovoked attack on their borders in February 2022.
Thousands of people have since been killed and injured defending the country after Russian air strikes and ground invasions hit areas such as Kyiv, Kherson and Odesa.
Millions of people are also displaced as the conflict continues.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko explained how he came to be in Ipswich.
“I was invited by my dear friend Martin Corkery to come to a fundraising event that he had organised for Ukraine here in Ipswich and Brisbane.
“Since I began as Ambassador to Australia last year, I was very amazed by the level of support from the people in Australia.
“The Rotary Clubs have been very supportive of Ukraine’s cause as they co-operated on Ukraine’s crisis appeal and worked together with the Ukrainian community raising money to help people in need.
“So every time I have an opportunity to come to this function, I usually come because that is an opportunity to express my gratitude to the Australian people for support,” he said.
The Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko said that the conflict has had an enormous toll on his people.
“It’s extremely difficult for the Ukrainians because there is this huge trauma, which is coming from this War because we know pretty much everybody in Ukraine has a family member who is fighting or already perished,” he said.
The Ukrainian Ambassador said the other night Russian forces hit the Unesco Heritage listed city of Odesa.
“They destroyed a museum in the middle of the city and also killed some people who got hit by those attacks,” Mr Myroshnychenko said.
“It’s something we have to live with on a regular basis because these drone and missile attacks have been ongoing for more than one and a half years and they’re still there,” he said.
The Australian Government has committed $950 million to humanitarian and military support since the Russian-Ukraine War began.
To make a donation and help with humanitarian aid to Ukraine visit My Rotary.
https://my.rotary.org/en/donate?fbclid=IwAR2K8K0bjPUkEnuePqgsDM80AW0SWyfbvGNhrJ9yJzw2AH0aJcnVLHDv2vE
