Author:
Olha Yerokhina
Civilians took the stand before the Dutch parliament to highlight the devastating consequences of the war in Ukraine. Their testimonies exposed the harsh realities of the war's toll on civilians, with a particular focus on children, one of the most vulnerable groups in this war.
Among the speakers was 17-year-old Olha, who survived ten years of Russian occupation and has returned to Ukraine to fulfill her dream of living and studying in her homeland. For safety reasons, she refrains from disclosing her full name.
Living under occupation means living in fear. Always being afraid to be who you are. I lived under occupation from the age of seven. The war came to my hometown in the summer of 2014. It started with explosions and checkpoints where armed men checked everyone’s documents. My grandmother said, 'I was also a child in 1942 when I first learned what war was.' I became scared and asked my mom, 'Are we going to die?' We didn’t die, but our ordinary life did,
Yaroslav Bazylevych also shared his story with the Dutch parliamentarians. His family was killed in a Russian strike in Lviv in the summer of 2024.
Our home was destroyed. Among the rubble lay items that reminded me of peaceful moments, dreams, and a future we would never share. Russia took everything from me. What happened to my family is a grave war crime and an act of genocide against the Ukrainian people. I wish my story could be the last, but as we see, Russia continues its unlawful aggression with impunity,
The stories of Olha and Yaroslav are reminders that war has many faces, and each of those faces must be seen, and each story must be heard.
Yulia Tukalenko, a psychologist from the Voices of Children Foundation, also spoke at the event. She works with children returning from occupied territories and Russia. She highlighted the main psychological challenges faced by children who return to Ukrainian-controlled areas.
Yulia Tukalenko, a psychologist from the Voices of Children Foundation, also spoke at the event. She works with children returning from occupied territories and Russia. She highlighted the main psychological challenges faced by children who return to Ukrainian-controlled areas.
We don’t know the condition of children still in occupation or deported to Russia. But those who return amaze us with their strength and resilience. Some worked after school to save money for their escape (leaving occupied areas is not only dangerous but also costly). These children often leave alone if their parents don’t support their patriotic stance. They endure hours of FSB interrogations and searches at the border. Every child who makes it back is a victory, but thousands remain—hundreds of thousands. We can only guess what they are going through,
We urge the international community to join the conversation, support Ukraine's efforts to hold the perpetrators accountable and create conditions for the recovery of the lives of children and adults affected by this horrific war.
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