**Bittersweet Winter Holidays for Some Ukrainian Children**
For children around the world, winter holidays are a time of joy and celebration with family. But for some Ukrainian kids, this season is bittersweet. It highlights the absence of one or both parents who were killed in Russia‘s invasion.
Nearly 1,800 Ukrainian children have become “war orphans.” These young ones don‘t celebrate their holidays like other kids do. Instead, they face a harsh reality: growing up without parents and struggling to cope with the trauma of war.
**A Family’s Story**
Eleven-year-old Oleksandr Reshetniak still remembers holding his torn-off leg, trying to stop the bleeding. He was 11 when Russian troops attacked his village in Kharkiv Oblast. His cousin Alina was caught behind enemy lines, and both were forced to watch their loved ones get hurt.
Oleksandr’s story is a heartbreaking reminder of what many Ukrainian children face every day. They see their parents get killed or injured, and they are left with no one to turn to.
**War-Scarred Children**
Arina Pervunina was 11 when she saw Russian troops kill her father. She and her younger brother were caught behind enemy lines in Kherson Oblast shortly after the invasion began. Their grandparents tried to protect them, but it wasn’t enough.
Arina’s story is a tragic reminder of what happens when war tears families apart.
**Surviving in a War Zone**
Vitalii, 74, has lived his whole life in Chasiv Yar, a small town near the eastern front of Russia’s war. Despite the danger and uncertainty, he remains optimistic about Ukraine’s future.
“Human stories are a reminder that even in the darkest times, there is always hope,” Vitalii says. “We will rebuild our country and make it stronger than ever.”
**A Call to Action**
The Kyiv Independent spoke with children under the permission of one of their surviving parents. Their stories remind us that we must act now to support these young ones who have lost so much.
It’s time for us to come together and help Ukraine build a better future, where every child can grow up in peace and safety.