Voices of murdered children: innocent victims of aggression were honored in Poltava

On June 4th, on International Children's Day – dedicated to the innocent victims of aggression, an event was held in Poltava to honor the memory of children whose lives were taken by war. This event was organized by the press service of the Poltava Regional Military Administration.

Near the St. Assumption Cathedral, participants in the event hung bells that symbolize the voices of the slain children. A moment of silence was observed to honor the memory of all the Ukrainian children who lost their lives.

"The sound of the bells will remind us of our shared pain, of the terrible and irreparable loss. Our children have suffered at the hands of the occupiers since 2014. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, at least 485 children have been killed," said Dmytro Lunin, the head of the Poltava Regional Military Administration. "Among these terrible figures, there are no children from Poltava thanks to our Defense Forces."

The "Voices of Children" campaign was initiated by the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, in Kyiv last year. This year, trees with bells appeared in all regional centers of the country. According to official data, as of February 24, 2022, more than 1,490 children were affected in Ukraine due to armed aggression by Russia. According to juvenile prosecutors, 485 children died, and over 1,005 were wounded to varying degrees. These figures are not final as work is ongoing to establish the numbers in areas of hostilities, temporarily occupied, and liberated territories.

A reminder: International Children's Day – dedicated to the innocent victims of aggression – was established by the United Nations General Assembly and is observed every year on June 4th. Ukraine joined the observance of this date in 2021.