The Day of Remembrance for Children Killed as a Result of the Armed Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine was established by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in 2021. This day is observed annually on June 4, coinciding with the United Nations-proclaimed International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression.
Today, various prayer services, memorials, and commemorative events are taking place throughout Ukraine. People have gathered to honor the innocent lives lost and pray for the repose of the children who fell victim to the war. Clergy, families of the deceased, and members of the public are participating in these events. At 12:00 p.m., a moment of silence was observed nationwide to remember the children who have passed away.
According to a report from the Lviv Archdiocese of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, a prayer and memorial service was held today at Angels Square, near the Garrison Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Lviv. The ecumenical memorial service was led by Bishop Volodymyr, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Lviv Archdiocese of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
The event was attended by representatives from regional and city authorities, military personnel, clergy, internally displaced persons, community leaders, and residents of Lviv.
Addressing the participants, Bishop Volodymyr urged everyone to remember the children who have become innocent victims of war and to pray for them. He stated, “Dear prayerful community, who came here early this morning to Angels Square to honor our newest angels who have innocently left this world. June is the month when summer vacation begins. These children should have been enjoying their summer vacation and a carefree childhood, but today we gather to pray and ask God to grant them a joyful, eternal vacation.”
In Poltava, participants at a memorial event near City Hall honored the memory of the young, innocent victims of this brutal war with a moment of silence and prayer. As a sign of mourning, those present released white balloons into the sky, symbolizing the pure and bright souls of Ukrainian children whose lives were cynically cut short by the enemy.
A symbolic event took place in Ephrussi Park, Odesa, where city officials, veterans, schoolchildren, clergy, and community organizations representing the families of fallen heroes planted apple tree saplings. These saplings symbolize childhood, purity, and unfulfilled dreams.
In Sumy’s Theater Square, bells were hung on trees in a ceremony organized by the Rokada Foundation and the Sumy office of the Human Rights Commissioner. According to the regional prosecutor’s office, since the onset of the full-scale war, 29 children have been killed due to hostilities in the Sumy region, with the youngest victim being under two years old.
Events honoring the fallen children are being held in cities across Ukraine. The Office of the Prosecutor General reports that more than 2,500 children have been affected by the war since its escalation, with at least 705 confirmed dead. Additionally, approximately 20,000 Ukrainian children have been illegally taken by Russian occupiers from temporarily occupied territories, but as of now, 2,191 children have been returned home.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, over 53,000 children have been located, while 2,317 children are still considered missing. Due to ongoing hostilities and the temporary occupation of parts of Ukraine, it remains impossible to determine the final number of children affected by the war.