Former Paralympian fled Ukraine, recounts difficult journey to Winnipeg with wife and son

A former Ukrainian Paralympian, who competed in the 2014 Sochi Paralympics, is sharing his journey to freedom, after escaping his home country due to the war. Alex Karpa reports.

By Alex Karpa

A former Paralympian is among the 328 Ukrainians who ended up in Winnipeg seeking safe haven after fleeing their home country.

Oleksandr Korniiko represented Ukraine in the 2014 Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia – the same country that invaded his nation of birth four months ago.

Korniiko recounted to CityNews his difficult journey to Canada.

“You just wake up in the morning and your life just radically changes,” he said.

It’s been more than 100 days since Russia invaded Ukraine, killing thousands of people and displacing millions.

Three planes filled with Ukrainians touched down in Canada, including one in Winnipeg on May 23. Korniiko and his family were aboard.

“We are very worried about our loved ones who stayed in Ukraine, but we believe in the best outcome,” he said.

Korniiko, his wife and son fled Ukraine soon after the war started. He says they wanted to remain in the country, but as the war prolonged, it became worse and worse.

“I decided to move my family because there wasn’t any guarantee of security. We knew of various Russian soldiers that were torturing women and killing children without thinking. It wasn’t safe.”

Korniiko says they left the Kyiv region and went to western Ukraine for about three weeks. From there, they drove to Romania, where they remained until they were able to catch a flight to Canada.

“I was very afraid, not for my own life, but for the life of my child and wife,” he said. “I am grateful to be here.”

Credit: Facebook/Korniiko Oleksandr

Korniiko competed in both biathlon and country skiing at the 2014 Paralympics. He says those Games were difficult for both himself and his teammates, as that was the same year Russia annexed Crimea.

Eight years later, the war has worsened and everything, once again, has changed.

“Each of us is a part of the whole puzzle,” said Korniiko. “If we unite, no one will be able to defeat us. This war applies to everyone because innocent children are dying every day and innocent people who do not know what a weapon is, who have never held a weapon are forced to use one. I want people to understand that this war is not very far away.”

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