Chumak Way cycling tour ready to roll through Battlefords

The Chumak Way peace cycling tour will be rolling through the Battlefords in just a few days.

The cyclists, who are Ukranian war veterans, are travelling 10,000 kilometers across the United States and Canada to draw attention to the conflict in Ukraine and encourage peace. The group will make their way through Edmonton and Wainwright before making their way to Battleford Saturday night, travelling roughly 150 kilometres each day.

Local organizer Jim Shevchuk said he believes in what the cyclists are doing and knows how important it is for them to shed light on the issues in Ukraine and Eastern Europe.

“It’s a real tough and complex situation and there’s many sides to it,” Shevchuk told battlefordsNOW. “With what Donald Trump is talking about and what Mr. Putin is doing in the world, it’s really important for people to know that there is another side. There’s thousands of Ukrainian lives being lost every year, and over a million people now displaced. I think it’s very important what message these guys are bringing.”