Ukrainian Children's Heartwarming Christmas Messages Reach St Nicholas

During this holiday season, children in Ukraine have more than just toys on their minds as Russia's use of drones and missiles continues to target cities and towns. The escalation of Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure over the past month has had a severe impact on children, causing injuries and heightened fear in already distressed communities. Millions of children across Ukraine are now without access to electricity, heating, and water, exposing them to additional serious harm as temperatures plummet, according to Regina De Dominicis, the UNICEF regional director for Europe and Central Asia.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported that over 10,000 civilians, including more than 560 children, have been killed, with over 18,500 people injured. The UN suspects that the actual numbers may be much higher due to difficulties in confirming deaths in active conflict zones. Despite these grim conditions, the resilience of children is evident in their holiday letters written while living in the midst of war.

CNN spoke with parents and caregivers, who shared their kids letters to St. Nicholas and their hopes this Christmas and next year.

Solomiya, 11 years old

Solimaya only wants one thing from St. Nicholas.

As reported by CNN, Solomiya's one wish from St. Nicholas this year is for peace. The 11-year-old has firsthand experience of the cost of war, as her father signed up to fight in 2014 during Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and occupation of parts of the east, ultimately being killed in action. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion eight years later, Solomiya and her family fled their home in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha to seek safety in northwestern Ukraine, just three days after Russian troops occupied the area.

Solomiya used to love drawing on large canvases before the war. She has stopped for now but says shell start again once they are back in Bucha, according to her mother.

Kaya, 6 years old

Kaya wishes to see her father, who is fighting in eastern Ukraine.

Dmytro Lazutkin

Kaya's Christmas wish list includes a craft kit, a toy, and the opportunity to see her dad. Unfortunately, her father Dmytro, a member of the 47th Mechanized Brigade, is currently stationed in the conflict zone of Avdiivka, Ukraine. Despite Kaya's heartfelt letter to St. Nicholas pleading for her father to come home, Dmytro is unable to make the journey due to his family's relocation to Germany.

Maks, 5 years old

Maks left his letter on the windowsill of his family's home.

Ulyana Kolodiy

Five-year-old Maks has a simple Christmas wish - victory. In a short, sweet letter to St. Nicholas, he asks for victory. His mother believes his strong patriotism and the significance of Ukraine's victory were influenced by adult conversations he overheard. The family moved from Kyiv to western Ukraine when the war began, and Maks left his letter for St. Nicholas on the windowsill of their new temporary home.

Katya, 12 years old

Katya lives in Kyiv, a city routinely targeted by drones and missiles.

Roman Prokofiev

Katya's father mentioned that she utilized ChatGPT to write a letter to St. Nicholas. In the letter, she expressed gratitude for the past year and outlined her goals for 2024, including improving her drawing skills and self-motivation. Despite living in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, which faces frequent drone and missile attacks, she remains optimistic and even wished St. Nicholas safety from air defense.

Anastasia, 10 years old

Anastasia has a very modest wish this year.

Save Ukraine

Anastasia and her family fled their hometown in the occupied Kherson region of Ukraine almost two months ago. While under Russian occupation, they were coerced into changing their Ukrainian IDs to Russian ones.

The occupation authorities insisted that Anastasia attend a Russian school and even threatened to separate her from her family if they refused. Fortunately, with the help of volunteers, the family was able to escape to Ukrainian-controlled territories. They are currently residing in a rehabilitation center in Kyiv, where Anastasia is participating in art therapy to help her process everything she has experienced. This year, her humble wish was expressed in a letter to St. Nicholas - she simply requested fluffy ear warmers.

Artem, 7 years old and Tymofii, 6 years old

Artem and Tymofii both put peace at the top of their list.

Iryna Tusyuk

Artem and Tymofii, brothers who relocated to Munich with their family 18 months ago due to Russia's invasion, used to enjoy visiting their grandfather in the southern Ukrainian town of Nova Khakova on the Dnipro River. However, a recent environmental and humanitarian disaster caused by the dam being blown up has made it too dangerous to fish there. The boys have expressed their longing to go fishing with their grandfather, but with the eastern bank occupied by Russia and the western bank under constant shelling, it remains a distant dream.

In their heartfelt notes to St. Nicholas, Artem listed "Peace, health, and a blooming Ukraine" as the most valuable things to him, while Tymofii included "peace, family, Ukraine, dad, God" on his list.