🧵 15 Ukrainian children were returned from the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
I want all to read the stories of these children, how the russian occupier strive to erase Ukrainian identity & even force them into the russian army.
2/ it’s absolutely no secret how Ukrainians living under russian occupying forces are subjected to horrific torture, violence & oppression. We’ve seen it in every liberated area, and the stories of Ukrainian survivors are absolutely horrific. ineukraine.com/2024/06/06/ukr…
3/ Children are no exception from the russian vicious tactics. Some, especially the youngest children, many already orphans, others russia forcefully take from their families & illegally handed to russian “caretakers”.
4/For the older children with families living under occupation, russias main goal is erasing their Ukrainian identity and brainwashing. They are forced to go to russian schools, speak the russian and Ukrainian history is erased. Then the oldest are summoned into the russian army.
5/ The most recent return of children was announced by @MykolaKuleba , founder of @SaveukraineUs who together with @BringKidsBackUA have managed to return a total of 538 Ukrainian children from the russian occupiers. The organization often share their heartbreaking stories.
6/ Vitalina was to give birth when the russian invaders took her village, unable to escape, she gave birth under occupation & her child was born with russian papers. She was then forced to give up her Ukranian passport for a russian passport, in order not to lose her own child!
7/ Marichka was forced into russian school, speak only russian & daily repeat russian poems about “the greatness of russia”. When she turned 18, the occupiers told her she had 2 choices: “either embrace russian identity” or “leave your home take nothing but water & start walking”
8/ The occupying forces came to the family of 17-year old Kyriloví to hand the boy summons. The family told the terrifying story of how russians barged into their home without knocking, with papers stating “as new citizen of russia, it’s mandatory for the boy to serve our army”
9/ Tamila was told by the occupying forces that if she refused to exchange her children’s Ukranian papers with russian ones, and enroll them in russian school she was: “depriving her children education” they then said: “You’re warned twice, by the 3rd we take your children”
10/ 16-year-old Valeriy, told of the terrifying first days under occupation when russians broke into every home, ransacked & shouted at the locals. One day they took his friend at gunpoint, drove him away in a car ordering him to point out houses where girls were living.
11/ At school under the occupying forces, Valeriy told how they were being prepared for service in the russian army, and were taught how to assemble and disassemble weapons.
12/ Evgenia was only 11 when russian occupation took her home. Forced into russian school she was deprived of any creative activities & obsessively pushed to repeat russian propaganda, learn about the “youth army” & sing the russian anthem before every class.
13/ Evgenia had refused to write supportive letters to the russian military, for which she was punished, bullied & failed in all subjects by the occupying leadership of the school.
14/ These are only a tiny fractions of stories by children and families who have been forced to live under russian occupation. And I fear, many of the most horrific of such stories will never be told. That many Ukrainian children won’t ever be able to tell their stories.
15/ The war crimes russia commit against the Ukrainians is ever growing. The worst thing that can happen is that it goes unpunished, that the stories of those fallen victims to russian crimes gets silenced, ignored, or forgotten! #holdrussiaaccountable
‼️Since 4am local time, Kyiv has been under attack of drones. For 9hours alarms have been going on and off, explosions & falling debris in several districts. 8 private houses, an apartment in a high-rise building, cars & power lines have been damaged.
This of course is nothing compared to what cities like Kharkiv, Sumy, Kherson & Zaporizhzhia goes through on a daily basis, not just under threat of drones but constant russian missile attacks. And non of this should still be happening. #RussiaisATerroistState
2 days ago President Zelenskyy stated that of the aid approved by the U.S Congress April 2024(after months the bill being held back) Ukraine has only received about 10%. And who knows if Ukraine will ever see the rest of it, considering the potential outcome of this election.
Vladislav Andrianovhas been in captivity since May 2022, he survived the terrorist attack in Olenivka. He was one of the illegally sentenced in russia to 25 years.
Mariana wrote in June:
«2 years ago we were the happiest together. Even our eyes spoke about Our love. Then they came & ruined our happiness, separated our loving hearts. I know how hard it is for you there, I know what you've been through & what you're going through right now.»
🧵1) My heart is numb learning about the death of Victoriia Roshchyna.
Let’s be clear, she didn’t just die in russian captivity. She was murdered by russia in captivity. We know russias horrific treatments of POWs
The lack of international outrage on this matter is terrifying.
2) Victoriia, as a Ukrainian journalist, should never have been in russian captivity in the first place. The last information russia has given about her is that she died during the transfer from Taganrog to Moscow, where she was set to be prepared for exchange.
3) What’s even more heartbreaking is that October 6th was Victoriia’s birthday. Now we don’t even know if she was alive at that time. If she ever made it to 28. What horrors did this young woman suffer at the hands of the russian federation before taking her last breath?
🧵1/17 As autumn arrived, school started & cold weather approaches, russia continues their pattern of crimes, increasing targeted attacks on Ukrainian;
• Energy infrastructure
• Educational facilities
• Civilians
Let’s talk numbers of these russian war crimes & what’s next.
2/17 August 2024, russia again escalated its vicious mass attacks, killing 184 civilians & injuring 856.
*These numbers are never accurate btw, since russia deny international oversight in the areas they temporarily occupy, where we know russia both torture & murder civilians.
3/17 This has made August the second deadliest month of the year, following the grim rise in numbers of russian attacks on the Ukrainian civilian population of July. Attacks like these not only target frontline areas but also cause widespread suffering across the entire country.
🧵 1/24: russia has since the full scale invasion of Ukraine murdered at least 488 Ukrainian athletes & coaches. In the history of Ukraines participation in the Olympics, 2024 has the smallest amount of Ukrainian athletes. Let’s honor the incredible achievements of these athletes
2/24 The 2024 Olympics marks a significant moment for Ukraine. Despite facing immense challenges from russia's brutal war, Ukrainian athletes are competing with unyielding determination. This year, Ukraine is represented by 140 athletes, a great testament to their resilience.
3/24 To put it into perspective, during the Tokyo Olympics 2020 Ukraine sent 155 athletes, securing 19 medals. Despite russias ongoing war, the number of Ukrainian participants remains strong, showing the dedication to represent their nation on the global stage.