The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) is calling on the Victoria Police Service to investigate an arson attack as a hate crime.

The UCC says in the middle of the night this week Father Yuriy Vyshnevskyy, pastor of the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church, and his family were attacked in their home when gasoline was poured through the mail slot and the home was set on fire.

The family’s three daughters had to jump from the second floor. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress, in a statement on the attack, says one of the daughters who is 11 years old suffered injuries that required surgery and is recovering.

The UCC says given that Father Vyshnevskyy is a dedicated community leader who through his work is strongly supporting the Ukrainian people and their defence of their homeland from Russia’s war, they want local authorities to investigate this attack as a hate crime.

Meanwhile, investigators with the Victoria Police Department are asking area residents who may have seen something to come forward and to check their dash cam, security and doorbell cam footage for images which could aid in the investigation. Firefighters were called out to the home shortly after 1 am. on April 20th to find the front entryway fully engulfed in flames.