Has been created by an ad hoc group of like-minded Ukrainians that were brought together by a bilingual song written about the bombing of the Mariupol Theatre on March 16, 2022, that led to the development of a Ukrainian Saturday school activity and lesson plan for students to understand why the Russian so-called “special military operation” checks the boxes for genocide. Up to this point, this project has been self-funded and driven forward on a volunteer basis.
WHO ARE WE
Leo Wolansky is the author and one of the performers of his song “ДЕ ТИ: Where are you?”, the inspiration for this project.
Ucrainica Research Institute, is a Canadian registered charitable non-profit organization since 1973, dedicated to education and research Charitable initiatives to include humanitarian support to the victims of the war. The organization is committed to raising awareness through education and supporting Ukraine’s democratic development as the country looks to rebuild a brighter future.
The international awareness campaign is supported by Yuri Lypa Ukrainian Heritage Academy (Toronto), Ridna Shkola at St. George’s Parish (Edmonton), Kursy Ukrayinoznavstva (Edmonton), Dnipro Oshawa Fund, The Kulyk family, League of Ukrainian Canadian Women, Ucrainica Research Institute, ForumTV (Toronto), with Babylon’13 and Lviv State Academic male choir “Dudaryk” in Ukraine.
OUR GOALS
One of our goals is to draw attention to Russian war crimes, to remind the World that the war is still happening, and to show international solidarity with the children living through wars around the World. Another goal is to educate people about the conditions under which children in Ukraine are suffering as a result of Russia’s genocidal war against the Ukrainian people.
Here are some of the gruesome facts:
1. Damaged schools
Since Feb 24, 2022, Russian rockets and drones have damaged more than 700 schools in Ukraine, 200 of which have been totally destroyed. Very few schools can be renovated. If children in Ukraine are to continue with their education, new schools must be built with proper protection against further Russian rockets and drones.
2. Lost parents or sibling
Many children in Ukraine have lost at least one parent and/or sibling. They need extensive humanitarian assistance, as well as psychological rehabilitation.
3. More than 19,000 kidnapped
More than 19,000 children in Ukraine have been forcefully displaced from their parents and moved to the Russian Federation, Crimea or Ukraine’s territory occupied by Russia. And thousands more unaccounted for.
4. Ukraine’s orphans were moved
Ukraine’s orphans were moved en masse to the Russian Federation. This is an act of genocide perpetrated by Russia against the Ukrainian people, especially against children.
DETY Flash Mob
Charities helping Ukraine's children of war
Another goal is to promote global fundraising for charities that work with children:
PII Foundation
The PII Foundation provides the Ukrainian CrisisCare portal to obtain FREE medical consultation through PII in the US to thousands of Ukrainian families and their children in Ukraine (including occupied territory), across Europe and around the world.
OUR MISSION
Research charitable initiatives to include humanitarian support to the victims of the conflict. The organization is committed to raising awareness through education and in supporting Ukraine’s democratic development as the country looks to rebuild a brighter future.
The scale of the tragedy (February 2025)
19,546
Kids deported to Russia
2,057
Kids missing
1,759
Kids wounded
More statistics
Kids killed by Russia
599
WOUNDED KIDS
1,759
Kids Refugees (DPs)
1,800,000
Internally-displaced Kids
2,500,000
DEPORTED TO RUSSIA
19,546
RETURNED FROM RUSSIA
388
KIDS Without parental care
13,388
MISSING Kids
2,057
ORPHANED KIDS
1,759
FOUND KIDS
37,647
PARENTS HELD AS POWs BY RUSSIA
12
Schools bombed
3500
Schools destroyed beyond repair
400
Sources (Feb. 2024): ChidrenOfWar.gov.ua, Deti.gov.ru. BBC, UNICEF, Radio Svoboda
Join the Global Flash-mob from February to March 2025 commemorating the Tragic Bombing of March 16, 2022
On March 16, we mark the solemn anniversary of the bombing of the Drama Theater in Mariupol. Two years later, the death toll from the russian airstrike remains unknown, because the city remains in occupation.
Our Partners
