EDMONTON — It wasn't lost on some people marking Ukraine's Independence Day during a festival at Alberta's legislature grounds on Sunday that their loved ones were still defending their own sovereignty back home.

Anastasiya Kvashyna said she immigrated to Alberta from Ukraine when she was 10, and commemorating the 34th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence in Edmonton felt bittersweet.

"I have a lot of family in Ukraine, it's emotional roller-coasters all the time," the Edmonton resident said.

"I connect to both Canadian and Ukrainian culture. I have two homes. So this day is very close to my heart ... especially when Ukraine is still continuing to fight for independence."

Tanya Marchenko, a board member of the Alberta branch of the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, said the festivals' vibe

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