The mayor of Chortkiv, Ukraine is looking forward to the days when the war is over and the city can again welcome Canadians – in particular, Yukoners.

Voloymyr Shmatko spoke to the Star Wednesday morning, on a conference call with Whitehorse resident Jeff Sloychuk.

The latter was in Chortkiv delivering his second load of humanitarian aid, the first having been delivered last spring.

Assisting with the translation was interpreter Vita Kurylo.

Chortkiv is approximately 490 kilometres southeast of Kyiv.

Shmatko had just come from a funeral for a Chortkiv resident who had gone to fight on the front line against the invading Russian troops.

Schmatko said 25 of his residents have been killed, and three were still unaccounted for.

The last fatality was on Wednesday morning.

While Chortkiv is not involved in the day-to-day battles, it was bombed last June, with a major apartment complex being destroyed.

Nobody was killed, but it was only because its was a Saturday, and a holiday, so most people were out, Schmatko explained.

He said the people who were home had enough time to run down to the basement for shelter.

“Thankfully, nobody died but 32 people were wounded,” he said, adding that scores of homes were destroyed.

Sloychuk said they drove by the site, and it was disturbing to see the destruction.

Sloychuk arrived in Chortkiv at 4 a.m. Monday, and had already distributed eight of the 35 pieces of baggage full of various aid he had brought from the Yukon and Alberta.

He plans to make more trips with more aid.

Two-way radios are the most sought-after.

“We very much appreciate the fact that Jeff and his team were able to stop in Chortkiv to bring the most important technology to Ukraine these days...the radios and power packs,” Shmatko said.

“The radios are very, very valuable, and I am thankful for that.”

In addition to the aid, Sloychuk presented Shmatko with a Team Canada hockey jersey, and the mayor wore it proudly for a photograph standing next to Sloychuk.

“The other thing he brought was a gift for me, a Canadian hockey jersey,” the mayor said, with obvious compassion in his voice.

The sweater says Team Canada 1867, the year Canada was born.

Sloychuk also brought Edmonton Oilers jerseys.

The mayor of Chortkiv said they were leaving the next morning at 7:00 to deliver the core of the aid which is made up of hospital supplies and medical supplies to the town of Yuzhnoukrainsk.

“The rest of the stuff will be dropped off with field units,” Shmatko said.

The mayor said Chortkiv has given refuge to some 3,000 Ukrainians fleeing the violence, of which 1,700 were still in the community, which is a challenge for the city of 36,000 full-time residents.

“There is nearly 117 kids that are school age that need constant help from the government,” he said. “There are also a lot of disabled people who need government attention and government support.”

It was Mayor Shmatco who wrote to Whitehorse Mayor Laura Cabott in late December 2022 to invite Whitehorse to become a sister city.

City council has directed administration to review the invitation, such as gauging the city’s capacity to support another sister city relationship, already having three others.

Schmatco said one of the challenges facing the people of Chortkiv is the rotating disruption in the supply of electricity.

Power is provided for three hours, and then it’s off for six hours as the country distributes the limited supply.

“It is very difficult psychologically,” the mayor said. “And it is very difficult physically with no heat in their homes.”

Schmatco said people do not feel safe, even in the western city of Chortkiv.

It’s unnerving for residents when they hear the sound of Russian jets above, he said.

Sloychuk said the city streets are empty, as nobody is going out.

There is a strange silence in the city, he said.

“It is an unsettling type of quiet.”

Sloychuk said future deliveries of aid will focus on the provision of medical supplies.

Receiving supplies from Whitehorse and Canada, said Schmatco, has been very helpful and encouraging.

He said he is hoping to twin with Whitehorse to promote the exchange of culture and information.

Schmatco said Canada is a welcoming country and Whitehorse is a welcoming city.

He looks forward to the day when Chortkiv and Whitehorse come together, and he looks forward to see how the relationship will benefit both cities.

“We really can’t wait for the people of Whitehorse to visit Chortkiv, and vice-versa,” said Schmatko.

The mayor said while the aid delivered by Sloychuk is very much needed and appreciated, having Sloychuk visit was equally welcome.

“The most valuable thing he brought today was actually to come here and tell us about Canada,” Schmatko said.

He said the Yukon-to-Ukraine project is a reflection of Canada’s willingness to help Urkaine.

Sloychuk said he will be returning to Whitehorse this Monday.

Arriving with his second shipment of aid proved to be a challenge, going from Warsaw, Poland to Chortkiv, he said.

“It was tough getting out of Poland,” he said.

“We had to go through two checkpoints – one to check passports and the other to clear customs and again to pass through two checkpoints coming into Ukraine.”

He said Ukraine was very happy to see him, his team and the aid they brought.

As he was entering the country, there were miles and miles of vehicles lined up waiting to leave Ukraine, he said.