'Difficult time' in Quebec's Russian community as Ukraine conflict continues

Standing in his Quebec City grocery store, Vladimir Gaspariants, who moved to Quebec from Moscow 25 years ago, says he feels helpless.

"I should be over there, either in Ukraine or in Russia," he told Radio-Canada.

Gaspariants says he's thinking about making the trip but hasn't made a final decision. His parents and two sisters are still in Moscow and he says if he returned he would protest against the actions of Vladimir Putin — something he knows is "extremely difficult to do" but which he says is necessary.

"The reputation of Russians has been completely destroyed," he said. "I really hope Putin's regime will fall because of this war."

More than one million people have fled Ukraine following Russia's invasion, and the UN says they will be followed by millions more unless the fighting stops immediately. However, there appeared to be no sign of that, as Russian forces continue to try to take control of Ukrainian cities. In the south, the port of Mariupol is surrounded by Russian troops, according to Ukrainian officials. Near the capital Kyiv, a large Russian convoy continues to threaten the city but has moved little in recent days.

Here in Quebec, some Russians say they're feeling the brunt of people's anger against Putin.

"It's a very difficult time for our community," wrote the Association Russophone de Québec in an email, apologizing and explaining there was nobody with the association who was comfortable publicly sharing their name and doing an interview.

"Tension between our members is rising and that's why we've decided to stay out of politics and concentrate on helping and supporting each other. We're seeing how hate against Russian Quebecers is spreading and we're scared to speak our mother tongue in public or share our thoughts on social media."

Shocked but not surprised

Ksenia Tsypina lives in Baie-Comeau on Quebec's North Shore but was born and raised in Moscow. She told CBC what's happening in Eastern Europe is tough to stomach — but not all that surprising.

"I've known for a long time who Putin really is," she said. "That's why I left my country 20 years ago."

Tsypina says following the news coming out of Russia and Ukraine has taken a toll on her mental health but she's trying to focus on ways she and others can lend a hand from Quebec.

She suggests writing to local and provincial politicians to encourage them to take a strong, active stance against Russia's military action, and donating money or contributing clothes and blankets to recognized organizations that are sending financial and material aid to people in Ukraine.

Other groups associated with Russia have tried to pre-empt potential blowback by publicly condemning Putin's military invasion and standing with the Ukrainian people.

Slava's Snowshow, a theatre production created by Russian performance artist Slava Polunin, issued a statement Feb. 28, a few days ahead of the first in a run of shows it's putting on in Montreal this month.

"Slava and his troupe are against all forms of war," it reads. "[Slava] has built his life and created his work around the desire to offer moments of happiness in the company of artists from all around the world … from Finland, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, Canada and Russia."

Back in Quebec City, Gaspariants says he'll continue to support Ukraine and restore as much of the reputation of Russian people as possible. He hopes people can "separate Putin's regime from the rest of Russia."

"For Ukrainians it's the same story as for Russians," he said. "They understand it's Putin …who started the war, who wants to destroy people."