As summer arrives for 2024, families in Ukraine still hold their vigils for captive civilians and defenders. On June 1, 2024, International Childrens Day, activists in Kyiv gathered with the families of captive civilians to remind the world that Russia is still holding children, civilians, civilian leadership in custody.
Russia has forced adoptions of children, concentration camp training for youth and documented horrible conditions for captivity and so called ‘medical treatment’.
Unlike captured defenders, the civilians have less organizational structure support within the government and there are fewer mechanisms to compel support on the international stage for negotiations.
Activists like Yulia Khrypun have more than interests in this as Ukrainian, her father has been held for over two years. Like her, many Ukrainians know their family members were captured early on and now they’ve had over two years of no news. To survive this hard wait, they work together, share news and information and gather in support to remind the public of their loved ones in Russian captivity.
As part of the serious event, Ukrainian dancers performed an interpretive selection that symbolized the captured civilian who was simply looking to protect their loved ones. The vigil is far from the last one needed to bring all of the families home.
Governments of the world have been relatively silent about the captivity of Ukrainian civilians and children, and only a handful of governments are involved in the negotiation process including Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Mostly when children are returned, it is at the work of smaller dedicated NGOs and family members. Unfortunately, those numbers are infinitely small compared to those in captivity.
We will continue to report on this situation. Thank you for your attention and support.