A crowd sings the Ukrainian national anthem as the Ukrainian flag is raised above Vernon city hall.

(BEN BULMER / iNFOnews.ca)

To the sound of the Ukrainian national anthem, sung by a small crowd standing in the pouring rain, the Ukrainian flag was raised above Vernon City Hall this morning, Mar. 2.

Roughly 70 people showed up to see the flag raising, including school children holding placards, and many carrying the blue and yellow flag.

Member of the Ukrainian community, Andrea Malysh, requested the city to fly the flag and spoke at the event.

"Our families and friends are fighting for their lives, Ukrainians fight for democracy and freedom because the alternative is unacceptable," Malysh told the crowd. "(People) must say no to Russia's war and aggression, the history of Ukraine shows that Ukrainians are resilient, spirited, and tough people, these are the traits that sustain them."

Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming described the war as unimaginable, unnecessary and heartbreaking.

"To our Ukrainian neighbours and friends and all Ukrainians around the world, we can not fully imagine the concern and grief they may be feeling," he told the crowd. "We stand alongside you and offer our thoughts and prayers for this tragic violence to end... on behalf of our council, we're honoured to fly the Ukrainian flag."

Around 70 people gathered to show their support for Ukraine.

(BEN BULMER / iNFOnews.ca)

Malysh said although her family emigrated to Canada more than 100 years ago, she still has family in Ukraine.

She said luckily, her family is in a small village in the west of the country, and the Russian military has so far largely targeted the cities.

"This is a war that's been going on for eight years," Malysh said pointing out that around 13,000 military and some civilians had been killed in the fighting around the breakaway states in the east of the country.

Malysh said the Russians were illegally occupying Crimea.

"This is not new news to us, it's certainly new news to the world and I think the world's now standing up and doing the right thing and supporting Ukraine," she said.

READ MORE: 'I am not OK': Canadian Ukrainian in Kamloops in emotional pain as Russia invades homeland

Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming during a moment of silence to honour the people of Ukraine.

(BEN BULMER / iNFOnews.ca)

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