Canadian English teacher hitchhikes 800 kilometres to escape Ukraine
A Canadian English teacher has made it home to the Ottawa region after travelling about 800 kilometres to escape Ukraine.
Brian Blair is one of the two million people estimated to have fled Ukraine during the invasion of Russian forces.
Blair, who has taught English in Ukraine since 2013, said he woke up to the sounds of bombs in the distance and knew he had to leave. He left his life in a Ukrainian village with a single duffel bag, posting photos to social media in case anyone spotted him on the way and could offer help.
Blair arrived at the Ottawa train station Sunday night. Although he said he was grateful to be greeted and embraced by friends, he was also plagued with guilt remembering people he left behind.
"A lot of my friends couldn’t escape. They have to stay," he said. "And that’s really quite difficult that they can’t leave, and they have to sit there and watch their city get destroyed."
Blair said he travelled about 800 kilometres to leave Ukraine, a journey that saw him hopping between cities and villages, hitchhiking for rides, and walking. He acknowledged he wasn’t sure he would make it.
"I said to myself—I said this out loud—'I may not get out of this, but I’m 48 years old. I’ve had a pretty good life. I’ve travelled. I’ve seen a lot of things, right?' I said, 'I may not get out of this alive. … It’s possible I could die.'"
The Russian invasion has caused a humanitarian crisis, with long-range missiles causing widespread damage and leaving hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians with no heat, water, electricity and limited means of escape.
A Red Cross official called scenes in the port city of Mariupol "absolutely apocalyptic" on Monday.
Blair’s journey included a long wait at the border trying to get into Poland. Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 are not allowed to leave the country. But Blair said he held his Canadian passport in his hand when approaching border officials, which helped him.
"A Polish soldier looked at me and he looked at my passport and he looked again and then he said to me 'Are you from Canada?' And I said 'Yes, I'm from Canada.' And then he said something in Polish to another soldier and the soldier came over and said 'Are you alone?' And he looked at my passport and I said 'Yes, I'm by myself.' And they said 'OK, you can come in.'"
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Demonstrators kicked out of Ontario legislature for disruption after failed keffiyeh vote
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
RCMP uncovers alleged plot by 2 Montreal men to illegally sell drones, equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Government agrees to US$138.7M settlement over FBI's botching of Larry Nassar assault allegations
The U.S. Justice Department announced a US$138.7 million settlement Tuesday with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016, a critical time gap that allowed the sports doctor to continue to prey on victims before his arrest.
BREAKING Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Man wanted in connection with deadly shooting in Toronto tops list of most wanted fugitives in Canada
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.