KIRKLAND LAKE - For Aidan Kazur, 2025 felt far longer than a single calendar year.
“Not necessarily even because of things that happened inside Ukraine, but things that happened around the world,” the Kirkland Lake native told TimminsToday in an interview from overseas.
“It’s been an interesting year for everyone — Canada included. It feels like it’s been four years. It’s only been one.”
The war in Ukraine began in February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion.
Raised in Kirkland Lake and rooted in his Ukrainian heritage, the 26-year-old left behind the familiarity of Northern Ontario in 2024 to head overseas to help.
Now back in Ukraine after a summer visit home, Kazur said life at the front remains difficult, but steady, as his unit continues operating in Kharkiv Oblast.
“Overall, I would say the situation is the same,” he said. “It’s never not a difficult situation.”
What has changed, he said, is the nature of the work. While last year focused largely on holding defensive positions, recent months have involved more active and mobile missions.
Kazur said the tempo has remained intense, with units rotating in and out of frontline positions — typically one week deployed, one week back — though longer stretches can happen depending on conditions.
“The situation is very fluid,” he said. “Things can change quickly, for better or worse.”
SEE: Kirkland Lake soldier recounts life in Ukraine war zone
RELATED: 'I was terrified for him': Northerner on the front lines in Ukraine
One improvement he’s noticed in the last year is that there have been fewer power disruptions, which makes daily life more manageable.
Kazur’s own role has also evolved.
As his Ukrainian language skills have improved and trust within the unit has grown, he’s taken on additional responsibilities, mentoring newer soldiers and helping officers with organizing and guiding troops in frontline positions.
“It’s sort of a natural progression,” he said, describing a growing leadership role that bridges experienced soldiers and command staff.
Throughout the year, support from back home has remained a constant source of motivation. Kazur said knowing people in Kirkland Lake and the local Ukrainian community continue to follow his journey has carried both encouragement and responsibility.
“It’s very inspiring,” he said. “Knowing it’s not just lost in the headlines — that people still care and are actively helping — that’s something that helps you keep going every day.”
That support translated into tangible help earlier this year, when a community fundraiser raised more than $26,000 for Kazur’s unit. The funds were used to purchase a troop transport vehicle, which he said has since become indispensable.
“It’s used every single day,” he said. “Transporting soldiers, equipment, training gear.”
SEE: How Kirkland Lake is helping transport troops in the Ukraine
Vehicles near the front wear down quickly, he said, making access to reliable transportation critical. Additional funds have gone toward night vision equipment, vehicle repairs, spare parts, and mechanical work, with donations continuing to trickle in months later.
“Even a little bit here and there makes a huge difference,” he said.
Kazur said seeing his story shared widely back home — sometimes unexpectedly — has been surreal. He recalled being recognized by a stranger at Pearson International Airport while returning to Ukraine, and even spotting himself in online videos documenting the war.
“I was waiting for my flight and someone started talking to me. I mentioned I was going to Ukraine, and he asked my name, and he's like, ‘Oh, I read an article about you,’” Kazur said.
“It’s really surreal. It makes the world feel very small. And it feels like being part of history.”
He credited his mother as a driving force behind the ongoing awareness and fundraising efforts, calling her his biggest supporter.
“I don’t know how any of this would have been possible without her,” he said.
Reflecting on his time in Ukraine, Kazur said the experience has fundamentally changed him. He described gaining confidence, maturity, and a sense of pride that he didn’t have before, qualities that now allow him to better support others around him.
“It’s a feedback loop,” he said. “You grow more confident, you help improve the situation, and that makes you stronger again.”
Looking ahead to 2026, Kazur said his focus remains on continuing the work where he is, with hopes of eventually returning home for another visit if circumstances allow. He’s closely watching international developments, particularly political decisions abroad that could shape the course of the war.
For now, he remains committed to doing what he can, where he can.
“I can’t change the whole world,” he said. “But I can try to make this part of it a little better than when I arrived.”
To those who have donated, shared his story, or followed along this year, Kazur had a simple message.
“In short: thank you. Keeping this in people’s minds — talking about it, sharing it — that matters. The biggest risk is people looking away.”
“As long as people care, even in small ways, it makes a difference.”
Donations in support of Kazur’s unit can be made through e-transfer to [email protected].