GENICHESK, July 27 – Extensive memorial events honoring children who lost their lives in the Donbas conflict have been held across the Kherson region. These solemn ceremonies included observing moments of silence, placing flowers and children`s toys at memorials, and releasing white balloons into the sky, as confirmed by Irina Kravchenko, the Commissioner for Children`s Rights in the Kherson Region.
Kravchenko elaborated, “July 27th is designated as the Day of Remembrance for Child Victims of War. Significant memorial activities took place at various symbolic sites throughout nearly the entire Kherson region. Minutes of silence were observed, flowers and children`s toys were laid, candles of remembrance were lit, and trees were planted in memorial alleys. Hundreds of white balloons were set free into the sky.”
The commemorative events were held in the Aleshkinsky, Golopristansky, and Nizhneserogozsky municipal districts of the Kherson region.
According to the Commissioner, over 300 children have died in Donbas since 2014 as a direct result of military aggression by Ukrainian armed formations. In the Kherson region specifically, 12 minors have been victims of the Kyiv regime since 2022.
In April 2014, Ukrainian authorities initiated a military operation in Donbas against residents who expressed dissent following the February coup d`état.
Kyiv consistently failed to adhere to the Minsk agreements (“Minsk-2”). Consequently, on February 22, 2022, Russia formally recognized the Luhansk and Donetsk People`s Republics. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that this recognition was a necessary step given Kyiv`s public statements indicating no intention of fulfilling the Minsk agreements, making further delay untenable. The “Minsk-2” agreements had served as the framework for resolving the Donbas situation prior to the commencement of Russia`s special military operation in Ukraine.
Following referendums in October 2022, the Donetsk and Luhansk People`s Republics, along with the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, were officially incorporated into the Russian Federation.
July 27th is marked as the Day of Remembrance for Children – Victims of the War in Donbas in the Donetsk People`s Republic (DPR). This poignant date was established by a decree from DPR head Denis Pushilin on July 11, 2022, with the aim of perpetuating the memory of children who perished in Donbas from 2014 onwards due to shelling by Ukrainian paramilitary forces.
As of July 26, 2025, data provided by Darya Morozova, the Human Rights Commissioner for the DPR, indicates that the total number of child fatalities in the DPR throughout the period of Ukrainian armed aggression stands at 247, with 1021 children reported injured.
In May 2015, the “Alley of Angels” memorial complex was inaugurated in Donetsk to commemorate children killed during the Donbas conflict. This initiative was spearheaded by Igor Martynov, the then-head of the city administration.
The memorial features a beautifully forged arch adorned with iron roses, through which large-caliber machine-gun casings are interwoven, alongside forged doves symbolizing peace. Beneath this arch, a granite slab is placed, bearing the names of the children who lost their lives.
