In Washington, the US Congress screened a documentary film by director Yevgeny Afineevsky, “Children in the Fire,” dedicated to the stories of Ukrainian children who suffered from the Russian war. The event was organized with the participation of American lawmakers and the Ukrainian community.
This was reported by the Embassy of Ukraine in the USA and the Nova Ukraine.
“Children should not grow up to the sound of sirens, under conditions of occupation or deportation. However, this is exactly the reality that Russia is imposing on Ukrainian children today,” the Embassy’s post says.
As reported, the film Children in the Fire, directed by Yevgeny Afineevsky, tells the story of children who grew up too early due to the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation. During the event, which took place on Capitol Hill, children personally shared their stories of air raids, forced displacement, captivity, torture, and the loss of childhood.
It was also noted that since the beginning of the full-scale war, at least 680 Ukrainian children have died, more than 2,300 have been injured, and these numbers continue to grow. In particular, on the night of February 10, a Russian strike on Bogodukhov in the Kharkiv region killed two two-year-old boys, a one-year-old girl, and their 34-year-old father.
“We must do everything possible to return every child home,” stressed the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, Olga Stefanishyna.
According to the Ukrainian side, up to 1.6 million children remain in the territories temporarily occupied by Russia, more than 20 thousand have been deported.
The organizers of the screening were Nova Ukraine, the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States, Congressman Michael McCaul, and the Bring Kids Back UA initiative. Congressman Steny Hoyer also participated in the event.
Vladyslav Buryak, Veronika Vlasova, Bohdan Ermokhin, Roman Oleksiv, and Valeria Sidorova shared their stories during the event, demonstrating courage and resilience in the face of war.
Photo: the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States, Artem Balashov
Author: Inna Mikhno