President Zelensky: “200,000 Ukrainian children ‘forcefully’ taken to Russia”

President Zelensky: "200,000 Ukrainian children ‘forcefully’ taken to Russia"

President Zelensky: "200,000 Ukrainian children ‘forcefully’ taken to Russia". Image: Ukraine Gov

“IN total, more than 200,000 Ukrainian children have been deported so far. These are orphans from orphanages. Children with parents. Children separated from their families,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday, June 1.

Speaking to his nation on Wednesday, June 1, President Zelensky said that Russia is pursuing a consistent criminal policy of deporting our people and forcibly deports both adults and children. This is one of Russia’s most heinous war crimes.”

“About 12 million of our citizens have been forced to flee their homes due to the war. More than 5 million went abroad. And the vast majority of them are women with children. We will do everything so that they can return home to Ukraine,” he said.

“During the 98 days of the Russian invasion, 689 children were injured as a result of the occupiers’ attacks. And these are only those we know about. We do not yet have all the information from the territory that is currently occupied. But from what is known today – 446 children were injured, 243 children died – up from the 227 reported on May 15. 139 went missing.

“It is said that human consciousness does not perceive large numbers. The larger the number, the harder it is for a person to realize what is behind it. Destroyed families. Little personalities who did not even have time to see what life is like.”

The 44-year-old then listed some of the children who have died in the conflict in Ukraine.

“Like little Denys from the Zhytomyr region, from the village of Malynivka, who died with his whole family when a Russian plane dropped bombs on the village. Denys was less than two years old,” Mr Zelensky said.

“Like Stepan from the village of Novi Petrivtsi, Kyiv region. He was less than three years old when a Russian shell hit the yard. The kid was fatally wounded.

“Like Anya from Bucha, Kyiv region, she was 14 years old. She was killed when the Russian military fired at a minibus on the road. People were just trying to escape. Anya was in that car with her mother and grandmother. They all died.

“Polina, she was not even two years old. A Russian tank fired at a house in Borodyanka. An ordinary house. Direct hit. Polina died.

“Arina, Mykolaiv region. On March 5, she received shrapnel wounds as a result of artillery shelling, the occupiers hit the usual residential sector. She died at the hospital. Now, in June, Arina could be 4-years-old.

Mr Zelensky listed more children: “Svyatoslav from Odesa, he was 15 years old. He was killed by a Russian missile strike at a dormitory. It happened on May 2. His body was retrieved from the rubble of the house.

“Alisa from Okhtyrka, Sumy region. 7-year-old kid. She died on the second day of a full-scale war as a result of Russian artillery shelling. The occupiers simply fired at the houses.

“Mykyta from the city of Izyum, Kharkiv region. He was 3 years old. On the night of March 3, he was killed by a Russian airstrike at the city. A total of nine people died that night.

“Two sisters – Varvara and Polina from Mariupol. Varvara was 14 years old and Polina was 11. They died as a result of the Russian shelling of an apartment building.”

He added: “I have named only ten children from the list of two hundred and forty-three. And it’s not just numbers. Each line is a separate world that was destroyed by the Russian army.

“In this list, there are those about whom nothing is known at all, even the name… 243 children! Eternal memory to everyone whose life was taken away by the Russian war against us, against Ukrainians, against Ukraine,” the actor-turned-politician said.


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Written by

Matthew Roscoe

Originally from the UK, Matthew is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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