Missiles on kindergartens, tanks on houses: how Russia kills Ukrainian children

On June 4, children who died as a result of Russia’s armed aggression are commemorated in Ukraine. Attacks on maternity hospitals, a shopping and entertainment center, residential buildings, car shootings and mass murders in cities that remain under occupation – this is how Russia “saves” Ukrainian children. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian army into Ukraine, 485 children have died.

She was only 5 years old. Oleksandryna Kirillova, like many other residents of Mariupol, was forced to hide from Russian shelling for more than a week. But the girl was allergic, so she suffocated from dust and could not stay in the basement for a long time. Valeria’s mother thought that they would have time to go down to the shelter during the air raid. On April 1, a Russian tank hit Oleksandryna’s room with a direct hit. The fragment hit the girl’s carotid artery.

In addition to Oleksandryna, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, according to the Children of War project, as of June 2, 2023, Russia has killed another 483 Ukrainian children. The authorities of Ukraine emphasize that these are not final data, because the number of dead Ukrainians in settlements occupied by Russia is still unknown. UN figures differ: 501 children are reported.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has stated that Russia will be held responsible for every death.

“Everyone who gives these orders. Anyone who follows these orders. No one will be able to hide. No matter how long it takes us, all these scumbags will be responsible for every death they caused,” Zelenskyi said.