I Met the Ukrainian Children Russia Tried to Steal and Erase—Now I Want to Be the Voice For the Thousands Still Held There

In 2022, my life changed forever—not just because I became a mother, but because my country was plunged into a brutal, full-scale war. Like millions of Ukrainians, I watched in horror as cities were destroyed, families were torn apart, and lives were shattered. But what shook me the most—what still keeps me awake at night—was the systematic abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia.

Next year, I became an ambassador for Bring Kids Back UA, a presidential initiative dedicated to returning every Ukrainian child who has been illegally deported or forcibly transferred. It’s a mission to protect our future. More than 19,000 children have been taken to Russia or to occupied territories. Many are being adopted into Russian families, sent to propaganda camps, or placed in closed institutions. Their names are changed. Their memories erased. Their voices silenced. As a mother and as a Ukrainian, I felt obliged to become their voice.

Meeting the children who made it home

In September 2024, I had the honor of speaking at the Fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen in Kyiv. The next day, I met several children who had survived deportation: Valeriia, Mark, Jasmin, Lev, Alina, Olha. Their courage changed me.

But among the many stories I’ve heard, one that has stayed with me most is the story of Kira, who was just ten days old when her mother died and barely ten years old when her father was killed by Russians in Mariupol—walking through streets littered with bodies, hiding from soldiers, nearly taken to an orphanage in Russia—that made my mission clear. Against all odds, she contacted her grandfather and made it home. Or Artem, a brave 16-year-old who refused to study under the Russian curriculum in occupied Kupiansk. For that, he was kidnapped and held in a Russian-run boarding school, forced to sing their anthem and wear military uniforms. His parents never gave up searching—and finally, they brought him back. Every one of these children reminded me: behind every number is a name. A face. A story. A future.

From courts to conferences: using my voice

Since then, I’ve committed myself to the Bring Kids Back UA. In October 2024, I joined a ministerial conference in Montreal to speak about the more than 40 children taken from a Kherson orphanage and illegally transferred to Crimea. These were toddlers and babies. One of them, Margarita, was just 10 months old. She was renamed, illegally adopted by a Russian politician, and her identity was wiped out. Her brother, Maksym, remains missing.

This is not just a violation of international law—it's a moral emergency. Thanks to global partners, that conference led to a coalition of mediator nations. Qatar, the Vatican, and South Africa now work to negotiate children’s return. Lithuania and the UAE help provide safe transit. Partner countries and OSINT organizations from around the world are helping to track down missing children, as Russia provides no information and refuses to cooperate in their return.

We are making progress. But the mission is far from over.

More than medals: why this fight matters

Every time I step on the court, I carry more than just a racket—I carry their stories. When I wrote “The Spirit of Ukraine” on a camera lens after a win at the Australian Open, it wasn’t just a message to fans. It was a promise to every child still waiting to come home. That’s why I joined the #ChildrenAreNonNegotiable campaign with over 300 European leaders and public figures. It was a powerful reminder: we can’t look away. These children are not numbers. They are daughters and sons. Brothers and sisters. Dreamers. Fighters. Survivors.And they need us. You don’t need to be Ukrainian to care. You just need to be human.

Join us. Share their stories. Help bring them home.

If you’re an athlete, wear the message. If you’re a public figure, raise your voice. If you have an audience, use it. Because in this fight, every story told is a step closer to justice. Every spotlight makes it harder for the world to forget.

Let me be clear: this isn’t charity. This is humanity.

Earlier this year, the Ukrainian women’s national tennis team dedicated their Billie Jean King Cup qualification match to the cause of returning deported Ukrainian children. It was more than a match—it was a statement to the world that our victories mean nothing if our children are not free. Acts like this inspire others and bring vital attention to the mission of Bring Kids Back UA.

To my fellow athletes, artists, public figures—this is your fight too.

No peace without justice

There can be no just peace unless every abducted child is returned home.Why? Because what Russia is doing—severing identity, spreading propaganda, raising children to serve a foreign ideology—is not just a war crime. It’s a long-term threat to peace in Europe and beyond. If we ignore this, we’re not just abandoning Ukraine’s children—we’re enabling future violence.Ukraine is ready to work with every nation to develop tools and mechanisms to bring our children back in compliance with international law. But one thing must never be negotiable: our children must come home.