"Russian Operation Is Massacre of Civilians," Ukrainian First Lady Cries Out Names of Murdered Children in Despair

On the 8th (local time), Olena Zelenska, the wife of the President of Ukraine, sent an open letter to the world media regarding the Russian invasion.
[Photo by Olena Zelenska Instagram capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Sumi Hwang] Olena Zelenska, the wife of the President of Ukraine, sent an open letter to the global media regarding the Russian invasion.

On the 8th, Zelenska emphasized through social media (SNS) that "Russia calls the invasion of Ukraine a special operation, but in reality, it is a mass massacre of Ukrainian civilians."

Zelenska strongly criticized the Russian military's attacks on civilians. She said, "The most frightening and terrible aspect of this invasion is the casualties among children," adding, "Russia claims it does not attack civilians, but I will name the children who have been killed first."

She then mentioned the names of three children among the dozens who lost their lives due to Russian military attacks. Zelenska said, "Alice, 8 years old, who died on Aktyurka Street. Polina from Kyiv, who died with her parents in shelling. Arseniy, 14, was hit in the head by debris and could not be rescued because the ambulance could not arrive on time due to a severe fire."

Earlier, on the 6th, Zelenska had shared on her SNS, "Russian invaders are killing Ukrainian children," revealing photos and stories of local children who lost their lives due to indiscriminate Russian attacks.

Zelenska also detailed the situation faced by Ukrainian children and women. She said, "They are now living in bomb shelters and basements," adding, "There, they lie on the floor with their pets. They are trapped."

She further stated, "In some cities, Russia has indiscriminately bombed civilian infrastructure, making it impossible to leave shelters for several consecutive days," and "Babies born during the war see the concrete ceiling of the basement as soon as they are born and take their first breath of the musty air underground."

She added, "These babies were welcomed by a community trapped and terrified," and "At this moment, there are dozens of children who have never experienced peace even once since birth."

On the 8th (local time), Olena Zelenska, the wife of the President of Ukraine, sent an open letter to the world media regarding the Russian invasion.
[Photo by Olena Zelenska Instagram capture]

Zelenska strongly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him an "invader." She said, "Invader Putin probably thought he would carry out a blitzkrieg in Ukraine, but he underestimated our country, our people, and their patriotism," emphasizing, "Ukrainians remain united regardless of political views, mother tongue, beliefs, or nationality."

Meanwhile, according to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office, as of midnight on the 8th, 474 civilians, including 29 children, have been killed and 861 injured in Ukraine since the Russian invasion. The Human Rights Office noted that these figures only account for confirmed cases, and the actual number of casualties is likely higher.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that the number of refugees who fled Ukraine due to the war reached over 2.01 million as of that day. Filippo Grandi, UNHCR Representative, expressed concern, saying, "This is the fastest increase in refugee numbers in Europe since World War II," and "The exodus will not stop."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.