When Aidan Kazur graduated from kindergarten he wanted to be a soldier when he grew up.
Two decades later, the 25-year-old Kirkland Lake resident is now serving in the Ukrainian military. A fundraiser has been launched to help his brigade purchase much-needed equipment.
Aidan’s mother, Kim Kazur, shared that his connection to Ukraine runs deep.
“My father's side of the family is all Ukrainian, so I'm half Ukrainian, and Aidan was raised going to the Ukrainian church in Kirkland Lake,” she said.
“We've always been part of the Ukrainian community here.”
The war in Ukraine began in February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion.
Aidan’s involvement with Ukraine didn’t start on the battlefield.
When the war began, Kirkland Lake welcomed several Ukrainian families, and Aidan was actively involved in gathering supplies and helping them settle, Kim said.
His military aspirations, combined with a desire to help Ukraine directly, led him to enlist.
Aidan had previously served for roughly eight years as a reservist with the Algonquin Regiment in Timmins, training at Petawawa and Meaford.
After facing personal challenges, including leg surgeries and the uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, he applied to serve in Ukraine.
“He had all of this training and these skills,” Kim said.
“He thought, 'Why would I not go there and do what I can instead of some 18-year-old Ukrainian person coming out of university and having to go to war and not knowing anything about it?’”
Last spring, he began the application process. By July, he told his mother of his plans, giving her just over a week to process the news before his departure.
“I was terrified for him,” Kim said.
“But I promised I wouldn’t try to guilt him into staying. That was the commitment I made. I didn’t agree with it at the time, but I would support him.”
Aidan officially joined his unit on Aug. 1, 2024, after undergoing several weeks of training in Kyiv.
His language skills, honed through years of studying Russian at the University of Ottawa and later Ukrainian with an online tutor, helped him integrate into a Ukrainian unit rather than an international brigade.
Now stationed in Kharkiv Oblast, Aidan is a reconnaissance drone operator.
“When he's at the front, there’s like 800 metres separating them and the Russians and they rotate in and out,” Kim said.
“Ukraine is trying to be more in a defensive mode. So where he is, they're not trying to rush the front line and gain territory. They're trying to prevent Russia from moving into Ukraine.”
He describes a strong sense of camaraderie within his unit, which has roots in the elite Azov forces, Kim said.
Despite the harsh realities of war, he maintains a positive outlook, she said.
“You can almost always hear a smile in his voice,” Kim said. “He treats it as an adventure, but he’s so serious about the mission.”
Communication with Aidan is sporadic, Kim said. While on the front lines, he and his unit avoid using the internet to prevent detection.
“Every morning, I wake up looking for the little blue check marks on WhatsApp,” she said.
“That’s my measure of relief. When it goes three or four days without a response, I start getting anxious.”
Aidan’s brigade is well-equipped, but supplies are limited. Night vision goggles, for example, are shared among soldiers, increasing risks if one becomes damaged, Kim said.
To support Aidan and his fellow soldiers, his family and the local Ukrainian community launched a fundraiser.
“We have a very strong Ukrainian community, and we’ve done a lot of fundraising since the war started,” Kim said.
“Now, we want to make sure Aidan and his unit are as safe as they possibly can be.”
Within the first 24 hours, nearly $10,000 was raised.
The money is to buy night vision goggles, mounts, balance weights, and a generator. Any additional funds will go towards first aid equipment, including lifesaving field tourniquets.
Although Aidan initially planned to reassess his commitment after six months, he has no immediate plans to return, Kim said.
“He may come home for a visit, but he’s not done yet,” she said.
“He’s living the goal he set for himself at five years old when he said he wanted to be a soldier.”
Kim said continued Canadian support for Ukraine is critical.
“Sometimes in life, we have to choose a side. And for him, he’s chosen the side of the right thing to do,” she said.
Donations can be made through e-Transfer to [email protected].