B.C. woman's mom, 84, put off leaving Ukraine due to the pandemic. The day before her flight, Russia invaded

A B.C. womansays she is deeply worried for her 84-year-old mother, who is in Ukraine after her flight home to Canada was cancelled.

Natalia Polchenko, who lives in Vernon,says her mother, Anna Solyanyk, was scheduled to fly home from Ukraine on Feb. 25, the day after Russian forces attacked the country.

Solyanyk'sflight was cancelled and she stayedin asixth-floor apartment in Kyiv.Polchenko says her motherrecently told her she endured multiplebombings in a day as the apartment is located near a power station.

"The Russians were bombing at least 16 times trying to cut the city of electricity," said Polchenko.

"You cannot imagine how painful it is to say those words, because half of our families live in Russia. We have Russian blood in us. Our first language is Russian. So saying that Russians are bombing Kyiv is just insane."

At times, Solyanyk had to take shelter in the apartment building's basement.

"She remembered yesterday how when she was a young girl, she was hiding in the bomb shelters during World War II,"Polchenkosaid.

Flight first cancelled by pandemic

Polchenkoand her husband, Alex Wedensky, have been living in Canada for around 20 years. Solyanyk would visit regularly, and eventually became a Canadian permanent resident.

Solyanyk flewto Ukraine around two years ago, and her flight back to Canadawas cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She has remained thereever since, due to concernstravelling internationally duringthe pandemic, until she gotvaccinated and booked a flight back to Canada for Feb. 25.

Polchenko says her family isconsidering ways toget her mother home, but they knowit may be a long road.

Thefederal goverment'swebsiteurges Canadians in Ukraine to "shelter in a safe place unless it is safe for you to leave the country."

Polchenkosays her family hasconsidered having Solyanyktravel to western Ukraine by train, a difficult trek for someone in her 80s.

Polchenko's brother, who she says is part of a volunteer defence corps, helped Solyanykmove in with theiraunt so she won't be living alone.

Polchenkosays sheis grateful Kyiv still has water and electricity, and thatthe city still has internet access so she can keep in touch with her mother and other members of her family.

"Being connected right now is something different," she said. "I don't think that in any previous wars it would be possible to be in contact, and I think that this helps to give strength [to] people."

Polchenkoand Wedenskywill take part in Okanagan Symphony Orchestra performances from Friday to Sunday Wedenskyas a baritone soloist, and Polchenko as part of the Okanagan Symphony Chorus. The performances will be dedicated to the people of Ukraine.

"The spirit in Ukraine is immeasurably, fantastically, amazingly strong," Polchenkosaid. "We have the impression that they are more calm there than we are here."