‘A true warrior’: Friends reflect on Canadian volunteer medic killed in Ukraine
Global News
Greg Tskhmistrenko lived in Saskatchewan for many years before moving to B.C. He played rugby with the Saskatoon Wild Oats Rugby Club and the Prince Albert Whisky Jacks.
Friends are reflecting on the life of Grygorii ‘Greg’ Tskhmistrenko after he was laid to rest Friday. The Canadian volunteer medic died in Ukraine defending his homeland while fighting against Russian invaders.
“He was a true warrior. I mean, he was a knight in shining armour, like a European knight, you know?” childhood friend Oleh Diachok told Global News.
Diachok and Tskhmistrenko went to school together in Kyiv, Ukraine, for a few years.
According to Diachok, Tskhmistrenko lived between Canada and Ukraine throughout his childhood, and earned his Canadian citizenship in the ninth grade.
Tskhmistrenko lived in Saskatchewan for many years before moving to B.C. He was known for playing rugby with the Saskatoon Wild Oats Rugby Club and the Prince Albert Whisky Jacks.
Diachok said he had dreams of becoming a military personnel.
“He wanted to join some special operation of the armies in the world, like special operation of the United States or special operations of Canada,” Diachok said.
“After 2014, when first we had a conflict situation with Russia, Greg said that in case of a full war like we have today, he will for sure he will come here and do everything he can to defend his motherland, to defend the place where he was born,” Diachok added.