Washington places 20,000 teddy bears to honor abducted Ukrainian children
Photo: Installation in support of Ukrainian children in Washington (facebook.com/olga.kravets.796)
An installation featuring 20,000 teddy bears has appeared on the National Mall in Washington, DC, symbolizing Ukrainian children abducted by Russia during the full-scale invasion, according to Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna.
Each teddy bear displayed in central Washington represents a Ukrainian child forcibly deported by Russia from occupied territories.
The installation is composed of white and red toys, with the red ones arranged to spell out the message: "Putin abducted 20,000 Ukrainian children."
Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Olha Stefanishyna, spoke at the event dedicated to the installation. It was also attended by concerned Ukrainians and other residents of the US capital.
US politicians were also spotted near the installation, including Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, who was seen adjusting one of the toys, as well as Congressman Michael McCaul, Senator Richard Blumenthal, and others.
"20,000 teddy bears on the National Mall near Congress in downtown Washington—each one represents a Ukrainian child abducted by Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion,” Stefanishyna wrote.
US politicians were spotted at the event (Photo: facebook.com/olga.kravets.796)
Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Olha Stefanishyna, spoke at the event dedicated to the installation (Photo: facebook.com/olga.kravets.796)
Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Olha Stefanishyna, spoke at the event dedicated to the installation (Photo: facebook.com/olga.kravets.796)
US politicians were spotted at the event (Photo: facebook.com/olga.kravets.796)
The diplomat added that, to date, Ukraine has managed to return more than 2,000 children as part of the presidential initiative Bring Kids Back UA, but thousands remain separated from their families and homes.
"Without the return of Ukrainian children, there can be neither an end to the war nor a lasting and just peace. Russia and its leadership must face the harshest sanctions to feel the real consequences of their crimes every day," the ambassador added.
As previously reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said that 2,000 Ukrainian minors have already been brought back home from Russian-controlled territories.
It is also known that in August 2025, US First Lady Melania Trump sent a letter of peace to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, urging him to return the abducted Ukrainian children. The letter was delivered to Putin by Donald Trump ahead of a summit in Alaska.
