177 Ukrainian refugees land in Newfoundland

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ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — As a airplane carrying 177 Ukrainian refugees touched down in St. John’s, N.L., Tuesday evening, Pamela Ryder Lahey was on the entrance of the group contained in the airport ready for 5 younger individuals to stroll by means of the gates.

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The retired chief government officer of the Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court docket has spent the previous months securing the 5 21-year-old graduate college students a spot at Memorial College in St. John’s. She additionally discovered them a four-bedroom home and raised sufficient cash to make sure their hire was paid, their fridge was stocked and their beds have been heat and ready.

“We’re right here due to this nice lady,” mentioned Angelina Schevchenko, pulling Ryder Lahey into a decent hug. Schevchenko mentioned she was thrilled to be in Newfoundland, the place she’ll begin a grasp’s diploma in social enterprise and entrepreneurship.

But it surely was additionally laborious to go away her homeland, she mentioned, and the 4 others she travelled with agreed.

“We miss Ukraine,” Schevchenko mentioned.

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The airplane Tuesday was the second airlift chartered by the Newfoundland and Labrador authorities to convey Ukrainians fleeing Russian assaults to Canada’s easternmost province. The primary arrived on Could 9, carrying 166 passengers.

The airplane departed from Warsaw, Poland, the place the province arrange a satellite tv for pc workplace in March to assist Ukrainians resettle in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Immigration Minister Gerry Byrne was on the airport to welcome every particular person, household and pet. With the 177 individuals arriving Tuesday evening, Byrne mentioned the province has welcomed 478 refugees for the reason that Russian military first superior on Feb. 24.

“We’re constructing a neighborhood of Ukrainians in Newfoundland and Labrador,” he informed reporters earlier than the flight arrived.

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Everybody on board the airplane had at the very least momentary lodging organized, and a faculty bus waited outdoors the airport to take them there. Some on the airplane, like Schevchenko and her 4 mates, had individuals like Ryder Lahey ready to take them to a brand new, long-term dwelling the place a brand new life was ready.

Ryder Lahey mentioned she labored on two tasks in Ukraine the place she met Schevchenko’s mom in Kyiv.

“She contacted me when the struggle began and requested if there have been any Canadian universities which may have a particular program for Ukrainian college students,” Ryder Lahey mentioned.

The 5 college students now have full scholarships to do their grasp’s levels at Memorial College.

“So it’s by means of a girl in Ukraine to me that we now have this relationship with these college students,” she mentioned. “We’re so glad to have them right here.”

Dmytro Gerdsen and his household additionally had somebody ready in St. John’s to assist them. He arrived Tuesday together with his spouse, mom and six-year-old son, and he mentioned he felt looking forward to the long run.

“We’re open to your individuals, to friendship and I hope we’ll dwell right here a very long time,” mentioned Gerdsen. “And possibly my son will likely be prime minister in 20 or 30 years.”

Earlier than that, nevertheless, Gerdsen mentioned he and his household have been trying ahead to an excellent evening’s sleep.