City to stand in solidarity with Ukraine in Carlisle's Greenmarket

On February 24, blue and yellow flags will be held high in Carlisle's Greenmarket with members of the public being invited to stand in solidarity with Ukraine following 730 days of conflict. 

The event is being organised by Alla Stoica, a Ukrainian-born national living in Carlisle, and Carlisle's One World Centre. 

Reflecting on the past two years since Russia's invasion, Alla said her fellow countrymen and even family are getting used to the unimaginable. 

"Life appears to be as normal but it's very far from it. People are surviving and adjusting," she said. 

Alla Stoica leads the vigil last year (Image: Veronika Zolotoverkha)

Alla, from Vinnytsia originally, spoke of the challenges faced by her family where the unsettling routine of fetching children from school amidst air raids has sadly become commonplace.

"When you hear that, you know it's far from normal.

"Everybody in Ukraine knows somebody personally who is on a frontline," she said. 

Alla admits she is not as certain about her country's victory in the face of invasion as she was this time last year.

"I wouldn't be surprised if I was organising a similar vigil next year.

"Last year, I was sure that it would have been the year of our victory, this year, I'm less confident. 

"We are struggling. The reason we aren't fully occupied is because of the sheer will of the people.

"People will not give up - that's why Ukraine still exists. I don't know how long we will be able to go out without help from other countries," she said. 

Despite great efforts for many Ukrainian nationals to rebuild lives in the UK, Alla underscored the imprint of war on the Ukrainian psyche going ahead. 

"It might appear that people are getting used to building new lives in the UK, starting new jobs, having kids go to school, and parties but there isn't a single day when we don't acutely feel the war in the background. 

Heartfelt moment for Ukrainian nationals in Cumbria during last year's vigil (Image: Veronika Zolotoverkha)

"Life is really never going to be the same. Even if we celebrate victory tomorrow, it's a national trauma.

"The shadow of the war will never leave us. For us, life will never be the same. We are now a wartime generation," she said.

All of the public are being invited to vigil which begins at 12pm in Carlisle's Greenmarket on February 24. 

Ukraine vigil to be held on February 24 (Image: Alla Stoica)