The harrowing toll on Ukraine's children amidst conflict

The Russian aggression against Ukraine, which began in February 2022, has exacted a tragic toll. Civilians, including children, are losing their lives. As reported by the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office, by 24 March 2025, 604 children had died, and at least 1,817 had been injured.

According to the Polish Press Agency, the highest number of child casualties occurred in the Donetsk (633 victims) and Kharkiv regions (470 victims). Other regions with a substantial number of affected children include Kherson (202), Dnipropetrovsk (203), Kyiv (136), Zaporizhzhia (170), and Mykolaiv (118).

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reflected on Sunday's Russian drone attack in Kyiv, which claimed the lives of three people, including a five-year-old girl and her father. The previous day, in Zaporizhzhia, a Russian attack resulted in the deaths of an entire family – mother, father, and daughter.

The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office notes that the number of children killed by Russian forces is documented but does not cover territories occupied by the Russians. There is concern that the actual number of victims may be significantly higher.

Volodymyr Zelensky commented that discussions with the American delegation are constructive, focusing on ending the war initiated by Russia. — No matter what we talk about with our partners, we need to push Putin to give a real order to stop the strikes: The one who brought this war must take it away — emphasised the Ukrainian president, quoted by PAP.

The president reminded of the tragic events in Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia, where entire families were killed as a result of Russian attacks. Zelensky noted that Russia persists with the war, despite the proposed unconditional ceasefire since 11 March.