Hundreds of teddy bears are collected in Washington in memory of Ukrainian children killed by Russia – photos
A commemoration of the Ukrainian children killed in the Russo-Ukrainian war has been held in Washington, DC. Six hundred teddy bears, each one marked with the name of a child whose life was taken by Russia, were placed near the Washington Monument on 29 November.
Source: Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the US, on Facebook; Embassy of Ukraine in the USA
Details: American children were among those who donated money to buy the teddy bears.
The event also included a prayer for the young Ukrainians who have been injured or illegally deported as a result of Russia's actions.
Quote from the Embassy: "Together, we send a powerful message: the lives and futures of our children are worth every effort to protect."
More details: Oksana Markarova believes that in order to do this, the world must continue to make efforts to end the war as soon as possible. She believes this will be facilitated by Ukraine receiving more weapons, sanctions against Russia being strengthened, and those responsible for crimes against humanity being brought to justice.
When the commemoration is over, the cuddly toys will be given to children in Ukrainian orphanages and hospitals, and to charities in Ukraine.
"While we are fighting for freedom and peace for Ukrainian children, we must continue to give them joy, give them gifts, see their eyes light up, and see how glad and happy they are," Markarova added.
Background:
- Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliamentary Human Rights Commissioner, said that as of September 2024, 575 Ukrainian children had been killed by Russian troops since the start of the full-scale invasion, and another 1,609 had sustained injuries.
- The results of a sociological survey conducted in August 2024 showed that 99% of children in Ukraine have been directly affected by combat actions.
- The study showed that this experience has made children around the world feel more anxious about many aspects of life than their peers who have not been exposed to it.
- This is particularly true regarding feeling unsafe at home (78%), anxiety about body image (42%) and the number of friends (39%), and feeling unsafe outside the home (35%).
Support UP or become our patron!
