Ukraine war refugees come together in solidarity while working at Edmonton eatery [Video]

A vigil will take place Monday night in Edmonton to mark the sombre three-year anniversary of Russia invading Ukraine, triggering a full-fledged war after years of escalating tensions between the two European nations.

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, in a major escalation of a conflict that began in 2014. The invasion is the largest and deadliest conflict in Europe since the Second World War, causing hundreds of thousands of military casualties and tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilian casualties.

Since the invasion, an estimated 300,000 Ukrainians have fled to Canada as refugees. Of those, about 65,000 have settled in Alberta — many in the Edmonton area, which already boasted a large population of people who claim Ukrainian heritage.

Janice Krissa is one such Edmontonian. She, along with her daughter, are the founders of DON’YA Ukraine’s Kitchen in north Edmonton (12153 Fort Rd), where all the workers share a common bond.

“All of …