Two Yukoners have been sanctioned by the Russian government, according to a March 22 statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
Jeff Sloychuk, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Association of Yukon (UCAY), and Eileen Melnychuk, vice president, have been barred from entering Russia.
Sloychuk and Melnychuk have been involved in fundraising to support Ukraine amidst Russia’s unprovoked invasion of the country.
Sloychuk has visited Ukraine twice since the UCAY was formed in January 2023. In February of 2023, he travelled to Ukraine with tens of thousands of dollars in medical supplies and other items, such as two-way radios, power banks, winter boots, binoculars, spotting scopes and range finders.
READ MORE: Ukrainian-Canadian group from Yukon delivers supplies to Ukraine
News of Russia’s sanctions against the Yukoners reached Sloychuk via an email from a senior member of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.
“He sent me a little email saying congratulations, Jeff, you have done enough notorious, infamous things to help Ukraine that you’re now flagged on the list,” Sloychuk says.
He adds that, upon learning about the sanctions against Melnychuk and himself, they contacted the federal unit of the RCMP based in the Yukon to alert them to the situation.
Speaking with the News, Sloychuk doesn’t seem too bothered by the sanctions. He says they are “symbolic” more than anything else and that he had no immediate plans to visit Russia anyway.
However, he notes that the sanctions validate that the UCAY is doing a good job in its work to support Ukraine.
“It is a mark of recognition. It is a means of recognizing that you and the organization you represent and work with are doing good work to support the people of Ukraine. So that’s—I mean, it’s a huge honour,” Sloychuk says.
“This one means Russia has taken notice that our little Canadian NGO, our little Canadian non-profit, has been doing good work to support Ukraine, and that means a lot.”
He adds that it’s “weird” to think that the Kremlin has written down his name, but he takes pride in being “in pretty good company.”
Sloychuk and Melnychuk join a long list of Canadian academics, religious leaders, activists and politicians—including Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai—sanctioned by the Russian government.
Sloychuk notes, however, that he believes Melnychuk and himself to be the first private citizens of the Yukon to be sanctioned.
“Like I said, it’s an honour to be nominated. I can’t thank enough the fellow members of the Ukrainian Canadian Association of Yukon and, more importantly, all of the Yukon for allowing myself and Eileen to receive this incredible honour from the Russian Federation,” Sloychuk says with a chuckle.
Contact Matthew Bossons at matthew.bossons@yukon-news.com