Children in Ukraine have desires beyond toys this holiday season as Russia continues to attack cities and towns with drones and missiles.
Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure have increased over the past month, a winter surge that has severely affected children. “These attacks caused injuries among children, sent an intensified wave of fear and dread through already deeply distressed communities, and left millions of children across Ukraine without sustained access to electricity, heat and water, exposing them to additional serious damage to as temperatures drop,” said Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF regional director for Europe and Central Asia, in a statement on Monday (18).
At least 10,000 civilians, including more than 560 children, have been confirmed dead since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said last month. More than 18,500 people were injured.
Even in the face of such dire circumstances, the children's resilience is evident in their holiday letters, as they live in the shadow of war. CNN spoke with parents and caregivers, who shared their children's letters to Santa and their hopes for this Christmas and next year.
Solomiya, 11, has one wish for 2024: peace. The boy knows the cost of war from experience. His father signed up to fight in 2014 – when Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine and occupied parts of the east – and was killed in action. Eight years later, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Solomiya and her family lived in the Kiev suburb of Bucha, but fled for safety in northwestern Ukraine three days after Russian troops occupied the area.
Solomiya loved drawing on large canvases before the war. She has stopped for now, but says she will start again when they return to Bucha, according to her mother.
Six-year-old Kaya wants a craft kit, a toy and to see her dad for Christmas. Her father is a member of the 47th Mechanized Brigade that fights in the Avdiivka hotspot in eastern Ukraine. In her letter, she wrote: “I would like my father, who now defends Ukraine, to come and spend Christmas with me. Please help him do this.” Kaya's father, Dmytro, wants to see his family on vacation, but they have moved to Germany and he cannot travel.
Ten-year-old Anastasia and her family escaped their hometown in the occupied Kherson region of Ukraine almost two months ago. Under Russian occupation, the family was forced to change their identity documents from Ukrainian to Russian.
The occupation authorities demanded that Anastasia attend a Russian school and threatened to take her away from her family if she refused. Volunteers helped the family leave for Ukrainian-controlled territories. They currently live in a rehabilitation center in Kiev, where Anastasia is involved in art therapy to help her deal with everything she has been through. Her wish this year is simple and modest – in her letter, she asked for “cute” earplugs.
Five-year-old Maks wants to win at Christmas. His letter is simple and short: “Dear Noel, bring us victory”.
His mother says Maks realized his strong patriotism and the importance of Ukraine's victory by listening to adult conversations. The family left Kiev for western Ukraine when the war began. He left his letter to the “good old man” on the windowsill of his new temporary home.
Artem and Tymofii are brothers who left with their family for Munich 18 months ago due to the large-scale invasion of Russia. Before the war, the boys visited their grandfather in the town of Nova Khakova, in southern Ukraine, on the banks of the Dnipro River. The river's dam exploded this summer, causing an environmental and humanitarian disaster. The boys say they want to fish there with their grandfather, according to their mother. The eastern bank of Dnipro is currently occupied by Russia and the western bank is under constant shelling, making it dangerous.
In their brief notes to Santa, the boys listed the things most valuable to them: “Peace, health and a flourishing Ukraine” for Artem and “peace, family, Ukraine, father, God” for Tymofii.
Published by Marcello Sapio
Video: European Union opens negotiations on Ukraine's membership
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
