Ukraine's First Lady Shares Her Heartbreak and Anger as Kids Are Killed in Russia's War
OLENA ZELENSKA/INSTAGRAM; Inset: Ukrinform/Shutterstock
Ukrainian First Lady Olena Volodymyrivna Zelenska is raising awareness on the killing of Ukrainian children and calling for more military support in the wake of Russia's invasion of the country.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, the 44-year-old writer posted a series of photos showing some of the children who have reportedly been killed in the conflict and shared details of their lives.
"Alisa from the Ukrainian city of Okhtyrka. She wasn't older than 8-years. She died during the shelling along with her grandfather, who tried to protect her with his own body," Zelenska wrote, according to a translation.
Referencing another child, she continued: "Polina from Kyiv. She died along with her parents and brother during shelling in the streets of the capital."
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Zelenska shared the story of a child only a little over a year old, writing on social media, "Seriously wounded by rocket fire. 18-month-old Kirill from Mariupol was taken to the hospital by his parents in the gunfire."
In that post, Zelenska noted that nearly 40 children are believed to have been killed in Ukraine. She warned the number of young casualties could only increase "due to the shelling of peaceful cities."
"If the people of Russia say that they are not at war with the civilian population, then show them these pictures!" Zelenska wrote in a pointed rebuttal to the Kremlin's insistence it does not target civilian sites.
OLENA ZELENSKA/INSTAGRAM
The attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant by Russian forces as well as mounting reports of civilians killed in apparent Russian bombings have prompted calls for NATO to implement a so-called "no-fly zone" over Ukraine, with international military support.
But other countries, who are aiding Ukraine in other ways, have been reluctant to commit their forces in direct conflict with Russia.
They fear it could escalate the conflict beyond Ukraine to more of Europe — if not the world.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 44, has also urged the United States and its European allies to impose a no-fly zone.
Still, as the Associated Press notes, the possibility of the U.S., U.K. and their European allies implementing a no-fly zone is highly unlikely given the risk of expanding the war.
DAPHNE ROUSSEAU/AFP via Getty
Details of the fighting in Ukraine change by the day, but hundreds of civilians have already been reported dead or wounded, including children, as Zelenska has been highlighting.
More than a million Ukrainians have also fled, the United Nations says.
The invasion, ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, has drawn condemnation around the world and increasingly severe economic sanctions against Russia.
With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy called for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.
Putin, 69 insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia and he is acting in the best security interests of his country. Zelenskyy vowed not to bend.
"Nobody is going to break us, we're strong, we're Ukrainians," he told the European Union in a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, "Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness."
The Russian attack on Ukraine is an evolving story, with information changing quickly. Follow PEOPLE's complete coverage of the war here, including stories from citizens on the ground and ways to help.
