Razom for Ukraine: You Cannot Put America First While Buying Russian Diesel

Published: October 9, 2026

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Razom for Ukraine: You Cannot Put America First While Buying Russian Diesel

Washington, D.C., October 9, 2026 — Razom for Ukraine expresses its unequivocal opposition to President Trump’s decision to allow nearly 5 million tons of Russian diesel to enter the American and global market. “Every dollar America spends on Russian diesel is a dollar that Putin uses to kill Ukrainians in hospitals, schools, and shelters,” said Daniel Balson, Director of Advocacy at Razom.

Just three weeks ago, the President signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act to pressure other countries to end their dependence on Russian energy. Today’s decision undermines that effort, runs counter to the President’s stated goal of ending the war, and defies the bipartisan intent of that bill.

“Instead of increasing pressure on Russia’s energy sector, President Trump’s announcement is giving the Russian dictator an economic lifeline as his forces falter on the battlefield,” added Daniel Balson.

“The American people across the political spectrum support more economic pressure on Russia. According to the February 2026 Harvard CAPS / Harris poll, 66% of Americans say President Trump should impose further economic sanctions on Russia. You cannot put America first while buying Russian diesel.

Yesterday, Russia bombed two buses in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, killing 33 people. The day before, Russia bombed an apartment building in Pryluky, killing 22, including children. Russian oil money bankrolls these crimes. President Trump says he wants to save lives. The decision to buy Russian diesel undercuts that goal,” said Balson.

Razom for Ukraine calls on President Trump to rescind this decision and urges members of Congress to explore every available legislative and oversight mechanism to reverse it.

Razom Applauds Final Passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia & Iran Act

Published: September 17, 2026

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Razom Applauds Final Passage of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia & Iran Act

Washington, D.C., September 16, 2026 — Razom is grateful to every member of Congress who supported the bipartisan Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, an important step toward strengthening Ukraine and increasing pressure on Moscow.

“The bipartisan passage of this bill is nothing short of momentous,” said Daniel Balson, Director of Advocacy at Razom for Ukraine. “This is the first piece of stand-alone, pro-Ukraine legislation to make it through Congress in two years. It comes as Russian officials move towards full-scale mobilization and intensify their bombing campaign against Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure. This bill sends an unmistakable message: for so long as Putin continues to inflict suffering on Ukraine, Congress will continue to impose consequences on Putin.”

“The measures contained in this bill will hit Putin where it hurts most. They will strike at the heart of his war machine, weaken his economy, and target those who continue to bankroll the Kremlin by importing Russian energy,” added Balson. “Countries around the world have a choice: they can finance Putin’s war or they can enjoy access to the U.S. market but not both.”

The House passage followed an overwhelming 86–11 vote in the Senate. Together, these bipartisan votes reflect a broad demand from Americans across the political spectrum for stronger U.S. sanctions and greater pressure on Putin’s murderous regime.

“The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act provides the administration with a powerful set of tools to save lives in Ukraine,” said Daniel Balson. “We encourage President Trump to swiftly sign this bill into law and move quickly to make full use of the new tools at his disposal.”

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Razom for Ukraine and the American Literary Translators Association

Published: August 26, 2026

Razom for Ukraine and the American Literary Translators Association

Announce Joint Venture

August 26, 2026—Razom for Ukraine and the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) are excited to announce the establishment of two new programs. Through this new partnership, ALTA will administer the Razom Mentorship for Decolonial Translation and the Razom Ukrainian Translation Award.

“This partnership with ALTA marks an important step in building lasting infrastructure for Ukrainian literature in translation,” said Anna Solovei, Interim Connect Program Director at Razom for Ukraine. “Ukrainian voices have too often been filtered through frameworks that obscure or diminish them. By centering decolonial approaches to translation and investing in both emerging and established translators, we hope to help create a more accurate, more resonant space for Ukrainian—and other historically marginalized—literatures in English. We’re grateful to ALTA for their partnership and expertise in bringing these programs to life.”

“We’re delighted to enter into partnership with Razom for Ukraine, whose work we so admire, to offer this mentorship and award,” said ALTA Executive Director Katrine Øgaard Jensen. “We’re humbled by the trust shown in our organization to administer these new programs: one to foster the next generation of literary translators, and one to recognize the excellent work of our colleagues. We are excited to begin work on these initiatives.”

The Razom Mentorship for Decolonial Translation will foster emerging literary translators working with literature from historically marginalized regions and languages, through a dedicated mentorship stream that pairs emerging translators with experienced mentors, with a different regional or language focus each year. This mentorship will be offered annually starting in 2027. Applications for the first year of this mentorship, which will offer a focus on Ukrainian-language literature with mentor Dominique Hoffman, open next week, on September 1, 2026.

The Razom Ukrainian Translation Award will sustain and recognize excellence in literary translation from Ukrainian and other languages of Ukraine into English. This award will be judged and awarded annually starting in 2027. Submissions will open, alongside the other awards ALTA administers, in mid-January 2027.

Razom for Ukraine is a leading U.S.-based nonprofit organization working to build a secure, democratic, and prosperous Ukraine. Founded in 2014, Razom (“together” in Ukrainian) supports urgent needs in Ukraine while investing in long-term solutions across health, civil society, advocacy, and culture. As Ukraine’s future has global implications, Razom strengthens trauma care systems, supports local leaders and communities, and connects Ukraine to the world. For more information, visit razomforukraine.org.

The American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) is a nonprofit arts membership association that provides programs and professional affiliation to the literary translation community: individual translators, academic institutions, presses, and others working in literary translation. The annual ALTA conference and year-round events are structured around the creation of high-quality art. ALTA also administers awards to recognize excellence in translation and provides fellowships and mentorships to support emerging translators. For more information, visit literarytranslators.org.

Razom for Ukraine Announces Fourth Annual Ukrainian Cultural Festival, Opening with US Premiere at Carnegie Hall

Published: August 18, 2026

Razom for Ukraine Announces Fourth Annual Ukrainian Cultural Festival, Opening with US Premiere at Carnegie Hall

NEW YORK, NY, August 18 — Razom for Ukraine today announced the return of its Ukrainian Cultural Festival (UCF), a celebration of Ukrainian arts and culture across New York City, running October 18 through November 6, 2026. Now in its fourth year, UCF spans performing arts, cinema, theater, and literature, and continues Razom’s mission of connecting American audiences with Ukrainian voices, artists, and institutions.

The festival opens on October 18 at Carnegie Hall with the US premiere of “Steel, Violet, Rage,” a Concerto for Piano Four Hands and Orchestra by Ukrainian composer Oleh Bezborodko, believed to be the first piano four hands concerto ever written by a Ukrainian composer. The piece is inspired by a poem by Maksym Kryvtsov, a Ukrainian soldier and poet who was killed in the war shortly after writing it. The concerto will be performed by the Shelest Piano Duo alongside the Brandywine Valley Symphony Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Michael Hall, in partnership with the Alexander & Buono Foundation. A donor reception follows the performance. Tickets available at Carnegie Hall event page.

Throughout the festival, Razom Cinema partners with DCTV and QUAD Cinema to present a curated weekend of Ukrainian film programming from October 22 through 26. Highlights include the opening night screening of “Sanatorium,” directed by Gar O’Rourke, and a slate of features and documentaries exploring war, resilience, identity, and community, several developed in partnership with Ukrainian film festivals including Linoleum, Docudays, and Sunny Bunny. The cinema weekend also features a screening of the documentary “Scream of My Blood: A Gogol Bordello Story” with a special appearance by documentary subject and punk music legend Eugene Hütz.

On October 26, Dash Arts (London) presents a workshop of “The Reckoning,” a bilingual documentary style theater piece developed from verified witness testimony gathered by The Reckoning Project, ahead of its North American tour. The workshop is produced in New York in partnership with ArKtype, the original producer of the Public Theater’s Under the Radar Festival.

The festival’s literary programming includes “Poet as Witness” at Poets House on October 28, featuring Ukrainian poets and soldiers Lesyk Panasiuk and Yaryna Chornohuz alongside their translators, and a program on Lesia Ukrainka as “The Modernist Playwright America Has Yet to Discover” at the New York Public Library on October 30. The event features a reading of excerpts from Ukrainka’s two renowned plays “The Blue Rose” (1896) and “Cassandra” (1908), and a panel discussion exploring what possibilities Ukrainka’s fierce and psychologically charged work offers for the contemporary American theater artists and how her plays can be reimagined today.

UCF closes on November 6 at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Recital Hall with a performance by the Kyiv Lysenko State Music Lyceum Chamber Girls Choir together with the Westchester Children’s Chorus. The former is one of Ukraine’s premier youth choral ensembles and an international competition winner with past performances in Vatican City and at the Berlin Philharmonie. Both choirs take the stage side by side for the national anthems of Ukraine and the United States, followed by their own programs.

“We invest in culture because it’s essential, not optional. Razom’s cultural work – sharing Ukrainian arts, culture and stories – helps the world understand the real Ukraine; its creativity, resilience, and humanity.” – Ania Solovei, Razom Connect Interim Director

Tickets and full programming details are available at ucfnyc.org.

Media inquiries can be directed to Hannah Goldshlack-Wolf at hannah@wildkatpr.com (+19173302046).

About Razom:

Razom for Ukraine Applauds Senate Passage of Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, Calls on House to Act Without Delay

Published: August 7, 2026

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Razom for Ukraine Applauds Senate Passage of Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, Calls on House to Act Without Delay

Washington, D.C., August 7, 2026 —Today, a bipartisan supermajority of Senators passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which targets Russia’s financial sector and puts a substantial pressure on Moscow and its enablers to end the brutal war against Ukraine. We are grateful to every Senator who supported this critical legislation.

“This marks the second piece of pro-Ukraine legislation to pass a chamber of Congress in just over two months,” said Daniel Balson, Director of Advocacy at Razom for Ukraine. “Ukraine’s battlefield successes have injected new urgency into Congress, while Putin’s relentless attacks on civilians have hardened its resolve. The House must now meet the moment by passing this bill and sending it to President Trump’s desk for signature.”

“The strong bipartisan support for this bill is a fitting tribute to Senator Lindsey Graham, who devoted years to supporting Ukraine as it bravely resisted Putin’s war machine. We are glad to see senators from both parties ready to take up the torch in the fight for freedom and democracy.”

Americans across the political spectrum have consistently supported stronger sanctions on Russia. The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act answers that bipartisan demand by providing a comprehensive set of tools to weaken Russia’s economy while extending sanctions on Iran — a key military partner of the Kremlin that has also attacked U.S. troops in the Middle East.

“Putin should be under no illusion: the longer he continues his illegal war, the higher the cost he will face. We thank President Trump for publicly backing this legislation. Ukraine’s many supporters across the country now expect Congress to finish the job and make this bill law,” said Daniel Balson.

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Razom for Ukraine is a U.S. nonprofit providing medical and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and a leading advocate for continued U.S. assistance to Ukraine. For more information or to request an interview, please contact: Ostap Yarysh, Media Advisor at Razom for Ukraine ostap.yarysh@razom.org

Patriot Production License for Ukraine Will Save Lives and Help End the War

Published: July 8, 2026

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Razom for Ukraine: Patriot Production License for Ukraine Will Save Lives and Help End the War

Washington, D.C., July 8, 2026 — Today, President Trump announced that the United States will authorize licensed production of Patriot interceptors in Ukraine—a landmark decision that will save lives, strengthen U.S. interests, and help bring Russia’s war to an end.

“President Trump stands on the right side of history. He stands with the winners. And this is a win-win for both Ukraine and the United States,” said Melinda Haring, Senior Advisor at Razom for Ukraine. “Licensed production will allow Ukraine to better defend its people without drawing down existing U.S. stockpiles.”

“Russia is losing on the battlefield and sustaining increasingly humiliating deep strikes against the oil infrastructure that fuels its war machine. Putin’s remaining tool is terror: ballistic missile strikes on Ukrainian cities designed to kill civilians and break the country’s will.”

While producing Patriots would give Ukraine a strong shield for tomorrow, it also needs ammunition for tonight. A sustained, uninterrupted flow of interceptors through existing programs is crucial to fulfill an urgent need for air defense to protect civilians in Ukraine as Russia attacks their homes on a daily basis.

“Ukrainians are winners. They have repeatedly demonstrated their ingenuity and ability to rapidly master advanced technologies under wartime conditions. We urge President Trump and his administration to immediately implement the licensing agreement, and maintain the flow of existing Patriot interceptors to Ukraine while domestic production ramps up,” said Melinda Haring.

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Razom and partners launch the first-of-its-kind initiative in Ukraine to address drug-resistant infections in trauma care

Published: July 8, 2026

Razom for Ukraine, a leading U.S.-based nonprofit organization focusing on Ukraine, has officially launched Infection Prevention project TDAC (Trauma Decontamination and Antimicrobial Resistance Containment), also known as Operation Wallaby. The first-of-its-kind initiative in Ukraine focused on reducing the spread of drug-resistant bacteria that can no longer be treated with standard antibiotics (multidrug-resistant organisms, or MDROs). The goal is to improve outcomes for wounded patients and reduce severe, life-threatening infection complications.

The project is implemented in partnership with the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, with advocacy from frontline clinicians involved in pre-hospital care. It targets a critical gap in the route from the frontline to the hospital — preventing bacteria from spreading during handoffs between care teams before a patient ever reaches a hospital ward.

Why this matters for Ukraine and beyond

Wounded patients rarely go directly to a hospital. Along the way, they pass through multiple points of care — and each transfer can increase exposure to drug-resistant bacteria. These infections can severely complicate recovery and become life-threatening.

The scale of this risk is compounded by the length of Ukraine’s evacuation chains. Infection risk rises significantly at the end of a prolonged trauma evacuation pathway, with considerable regional variation, according to research by Hailie Uren published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases (2025). The longer a wounded patient remains in transit, the greater the opportunity for infection to take hold.

This is no longer solely a Ukrainian health challenge. As wounded patients are evacuated to hospitals across Europe for specialized care, drug-resistant bacteria travel with them — placing pressure on health systems far beyond the frontline. European hospitals are already encountering these infections among war-wounded patients, making early intervention an urgent international priority.

“Antimicrobial resistance could cost as many lives as cancer by 2050, according to the UK Government’s Review. Resistant bacteria do not stop at the Ukrainian border. It is an early warning for every health system worldwide. That is why launching the Infection Prevention Project is so important,” said Dan Solchanyk, Razom Health Program Director .

How it works

Ukrainian scientists and clinicians, led by Hailie Uren, are working alongside clinical partners to investigate where and how drug-resistant bacteria enter the evacuation chain. Based on this work, Ukraine will introduce standardized practices focused on early decontamination and stopping bacteria from spreading between handoffs.

The project unfolds in three stages. The team is currently screening war-wounded patients across the evacuation chain — from casualty collection points through forward surgical units (Role 2) and hospitals (Role 3) — mapping where bacterial contamination occurs. Later in 2026, those findings will guide the creation of dedicated decontamination units to stop bacteria from entering clinical environments. By 2027, the full programme will be rolled out based on the evidence gathered.

“With a high proportion of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) not responsive to last-line antibiotics among war-wounded patients, early intervention through this project is critical to preventing infection before patients reach a hospital,” said Hailie Uren, Project Lead and Principal Investigator from Razom and UPHC.

The approach is grounded in U.S. military medicine and informed by expert consultation, adapted to prolonged evacuation chains and wartime conditions in Ukraine.

Stopping infections early reduces the need to prescribe antibiotics without knowing which bacteria are present (broad-spectrum empirical use) — helping slow the development of antimicrobial resistance and protecting the wider health system.

For more information, please contact anna.hryniv@razomforukraine.org

Razom for Ukraine Launches Inaugural I’mmortal / Безсмертні Fellowship

Published: July 1, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2026
Razom for Ukraine Launches Inaugural I’mmortal / Безсмертні Fellowship
Five Transatlantic Arts-in-Health Partnerships to Gather at Wesleyan University This Fall

New York, NY – Today Razom for Ukraine announced the inaugural cohort of the I’mmortal / Безсмертні Fellowship, Razom’s first Arts-in-Health program, developed in partnership with Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts. Drawing from 35 applications submitted by NGOs, cultural collectives, artists, clinicians, and institutional partners across Ukraine and the United States, a selection committee of field experts chose five cross-border partnerships to co-develop projects using creative practice to transform mental health, physical rehabilitation, and community reintegration. Each partnership receives an implementation grant of up to $10,000 and full residency support for a week-long in-person gathering at Wesleyan University, November 2–7, 2026, culminating in a public Capstone Showcase on November 7th in Middletown, Connecticut.

The fellowship is built on a foundational recognition: Ukraine is currently a vital frontier for innovations in trauma recovery. The I’mmortal program matches artists and healers with institutional partners, including hospitals, universities, veterans’ centers, and NGOs, to develop collaborative projects that neither partner could conceive or execute alone. The long-term goal is that projects piloted in 2026 will move into full implementation in Ukraine in 2027.

“Art has always been how people make meaning and take care of communities in the hardest moments,” said Theodora Chomiak, CEO of Razom for Ukraine. “The I’mmortal Fellowship exists to put that idea into practice, across borders, and at the highest level of attention.”

“Where science maps the trauma, the arts map our humanity, providing the truth and wisdom needed to heal,” said Katja Kolcio, Chair of the Dance Department and Professor of Environmental Studies at Wesleyan University. “By bringing these extraordinary Ukrainian and American partners to Wesleyan, we are moving creative practice from the margins of healthcare straight to the center, proving that cultural expression is a critical, rigorous pillar of health, community resilience, and our collective capacity to build a better world.”

THE 2026 COHORT

GATHERING AROUND THE FIRE: ARTS, HEALING, AND RESILIENCE

Jessica Hecht / Alexandra Zaslav / The Campfire Project (New York, NY) x Mariana Ivanovych / Marcin Piotrowski / Folkowisko Ukraine (Nahachiv, Lviv region)

Therapeutic arts programming for children and youth in Western Ukraine, bringing together local and displaced populations to process war trauma, build resilience, and strengthen community through daily creative practice in dance, visual art, theater, and music, delivered through a trauma-informed, culturally adaptive framework. A parallel practitioner training strand, drawing on resources from the WHO and Jameel Arts and Health Lab, equips local educators and aid workers with tools they can sustain independently.

ARTSCAPES OF CARE: COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS & TOOLKIT

Nathalie Robelot-Timtchenko / Oleksandra Kliushnova / Joanna Wroblewska / First Aid of the Soul (Kyiv / Washington, D.C.) x Kerry Kincy (Middletown, CT) x Dr. Midori Samson (Lawrence, KS)

Trauma-informed, arts-based workshops for artists, community healers, educators, and mental health practitioners in the Lviv region, integrating soundscapes and deep listening, movement, visual storytelling, and embodied creative practice. The project will produce a replicable toolkit for Ukrainian organizations to continue and adapt the work independently.

RHYTHM AS REGULATION

Yekaterina Chizayeva (New Orleans, LA) x Kateryna Taranova (Kyiv/Lviv/Slavsko)

A transnational methodology exchange investigating how rhythm, through music, dance, voice, and body-based practice, can support nervous system regulation, reduce anxiety symptoms, and aid recovery from sensory disorientation caused by war-related sonic exposure. Two intensive methodology labs, one in Slavsko, Ukraine and one in New Orleans, bring together U.S. and Ukrainian artists to develop and prototype shared, cross-cultural protocols.

“ME – THE OTHER”: INCLUSIVE THEATRE & NARRATIVE RESTORATION INITIATIVE

Deb Gottesman / The Theatre Lab – Life Stories Institute (Washington, D.C.) x Yuliia Vintoniv / Ukrainian Catholic University (Lviv)

An inclusive theatre initiative bringing together people with congenital and acquired disabilities, including those with war-related injuries, alongside students and community members to create original dramatic work from lived experience. The Theatre Lab’s over twenty years of autobiographical theatre practice meets Yuliia Vintoniv’s expertise in disability-inclusive education at Ukrainian Catholic University, with a pilot university course launching in 2027.

MOVING, IMAGINING, AND UNBROKEN

Román Baca / Exit12 Dance Company (New York, NY) x Alina Spas / Dr. Brendan Bo O’Connor / Imagination Lab (Albany, NY) x Dr. Yuliia Rozmyrska / Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University (Lutsk)

A co-authored dance and movement program designed specifically for Ukrainian combat veterans, wounded and non-wounded alike, that integrates Exit12’s proven trauma-informed methodology with surrealism-based visual arts practice. The program is not an export of an American model but a genuine co-authorship, adapted entirely for Ukraine’s cultural moment and the realities of its combatants. Pilot workshops will be conducted in the New York area before full implementation in Ukraine in 2027.

ABOUT RAZOM FOR UKRAINE

Razom for Ukraine (which means “together” in Ukrainian) is a U.S.-based nonprofit founded in 2014 that works to build a secure, prosperous, and democratic Ukraine. The organization operates across program areas including humanitarian aid, health, advocacy, and cultural initiatives, addressing both immediate needs and long-term recovery. Through Razom Connect, Razom positions culture as a vital part of its mission alongside humanitarian aid and advocacy, demonstrating that cultural visibility is essential to global understanding and solidarity.

ABOUT WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY’S CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts integrates world-class venues with a dedicated team of curators, producers, and technicians to advance creative practice as foundational to a liberal arts education. By bringing global artists into a dynamic relationship with the campus, the Center for the Arts supports critical research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and experimentation. At Wesleyan, the arts serve as an essential form of inquiry, teaching, and public engagement, cultivating bold thinkers who value embodied experience and community connection.

PRESS CONTACT

Rachel Shuey

rachel.shuey@razomforukraine.org

706-399-3333

razomforukraine.org

Razom, Esper Bionics, and Ukrainian clinical partners launch a new initiative to expand access to advanced prosthetic care in Ukraine

Published: May 27, 2026

Razom, Esper Bionics, and Ukrainian clinical partners
launch a new initiative to expand access to advanced prosthetic care in Ukraine

Razom for Ukraine, Esper Bionics, and Ukrainian clinical partners are launching a new initiative to expand access to advanced prosthetic care for people living with limb loss in Ukraine.

This project is about helping people regain independence, dignity, confidence, and a path back to daily life — while also strengthening Ukraine’s prosthetics ecosystem for the future.

At the center of the initiative are the patients themselves: Ukrainians whose lives have been changed by injury and who are rebuilding their futures as they return to work, family life, and community participation. “The program is designed to support people through a full pathway of care, from assessment and fitting to adaptation and follow-up, so that the prosthesis becomes part of long-term recovery rather than a one-time intervention.” said Dmytro Gazda, CEO of Esper Bionics.

The initiative also reflects the strength and ingenuity already present in Ukraine. Esper Bionics, a Ukrainian company developing advanced bionic prosthetics, brings technical innovation to the project. Ukrainian clinical partners bring the medical expertise and rehabilitation support needed to help patients integrate these devices into everyday life.

Razom’s role, as public health implementation expert, is to connect donor resources, clinical providers, and patients into coherent projects that work inside Ukraine’s public health system. We standardize how partners coordinate, stay compliant with national health regulations, and report results, ensuring each project strengthens the system rather than running parallel to it.

“This project is about helping people get back to their lives, while also showing that Ukraine is building modern recovery pathways under extraordinary conditions,” said Dora Chomiak, CEO of Razom. “It is a bridge between the US and Ukraine, connecting resources, expertise, and legitimacy with Ukrainian innovation, talent, and resilience.”

The project is also being built with sustainability in mind. Razom is working to ensure that the initiative complements, not replaces, Ukraine’s existing government support system, with careful attention to patient eligibility, continuity of care, and long-term access to state assistance.

Through this partnership, the initiative aims to show what is possible when patient needs, public health implementation expertise, and Ukrainian innovation come together. It is a story of recovery, systems-building, and partnership — and a reminder that what is being created in Ukraine today can help shape recovery and rehabilitation far beyond Ukraine’s borders.

About Razom

Razom is a leading U.S.-based nonprofit organization working to build a secure, democratic, and prosperous Ukraine. Founded in 2014, Razom (“together” in Ukrainian) supports urgent needs in Ukraine while investing in long-term solutions across health, civil society, advocacy, and culture. As Ukraine’s future has global implications, Razom strengthens trauma care systems, supports local leaders and communities, and connects Ukraine to the world.

About Esper Bionics

Esper Bionics is a Ukrainian company developing advanced bionic prosthetic solutions designed to restore function, independence, and quality of life for people living with limb loss.

About the clinical partners

Ukrainian clinical partners are helping make this initiative possible by providing the medical expertise, rehabilitation support, and patient care needed for successful prosthetic fitting and adaptation.

Press Contact:Iryna Gudyma
iryna.gudyma@razom.org

“Bring Kids Back”: 20,000 Teddy Bears Installed on National Mall to Highlight Russia’s Abduction of Ukrainian Children

Published: April 24, 2026

“Bring Kids Back”: 20,000 Teddy Bears Installed on National Mall to Highlight Russia’s Abduction of Ukrainian Children

Washington, D.C. — On Thursday, April 23, Razom for Ukraine installed a 230-foot-wide, 8-foot-tall fence on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., covered with 20,000 teddy bears. Each plush toy represents a Ukrainian child abducted by Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion.

The installation, titled “Bring Kids Back,” was created over five days (Friday through Tuesday) by more than 50 volunteers, with over 120 volunteers involved in total. The display featured white, brown, maroon, and red teddy bears. Maroon and red bears formed a message reading: “Putin abducted 20,000 Ukrainian children. Bring Kids Back.”

In addition to organizers Razom for Ukraine and its partner American Coalition for Ukraine, the installation was attended by Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S. Olha Stefanishyna, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX-10), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-8), Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC-2), and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

Because the return of abducted children is a sensitive issue and publicizing details may endanger ongoing rescue efforts, organizers used a symbolic approach to tell their stories.

“Because the return of stolen children is such a sensitive matter, and because publicizing details about children who remain missing can endanger rescue efforts, we searched for a symbolic way to tell their stories. That’s why we chose a teddy bear, a universal symbol of childhood. Each teddy bear represents one child abducted by Russia, and there are 20,000 of them behind me. These are the children that we know were stolen. But how many others are there? The real number of abducted children could be as high as 200,000 kids. And in that case, the installation would span from the Lincoln Memorial all the way to the Washington Monument,”
— Katya Pavlevych, Advisor on Children’s Issues, Razom for Ukraine

“Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine has already returned more than 2,000 kids. These 2,000 are living witnesses who say they were forced to forget their identity, their names, where they come from, and that they had families. They were forced to build a new identity. But I am absolutely confident that all Ukrainian children will come back.”
— Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.S.

“I met four teenagers who had been in captivity, taken from battlefields and towns that had been destroyed—kids who lost both parents. Somehow, they were able to get cell phones and call their grandmothers from inside Russia. People would cross enemy lines to bring those kids back. I will always go back to President Zelensky’s words on the first day of the invasion: ‘We are here.’ With this installation of 20,000 teddy bears, we say again: we are here.”
— Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

“What Putin is doing to tens of thousands of children—more than 20,000—is a war crime. That is why I am working on a bipartisan bill in Congress to declare Vladimir Putin a war criminal if he does not return those children. I will take this teddy bear with me when I return to Ukraine in May for my 11th trip.

We need sanctions. We need military aid. We need economic assistance. America must do its part. And I call on the president: do your job. Stand for democracy. Stand with Ukraine.”
— Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)

“As a father of five, I cannot imagine my children being subjected to this kind of evil. This is why I introduced a resolution calling for any ceasefire agreement to include the return of abducted children. I also introduced bipartisan legislation calling for targeted sanctions on anyone dealing in Russian oil. We must make Russia pay for its crimes.”

“Putin’s plan goes far beyond Ukraine. They are preparing children for a war with NATO itself.”
— Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX-10)

“To kidnap children in the middle of a military conflict is a blatant violation of human rights law and international humanitarian law. It is a war crime, and if done intentionally to destroy a people, it is evidence of genocide. We are calling on everyone of conscience across America and in the administration to take action today to bring Ukraine’s children home.”
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-8)

“The kidnapping of Ukrainian children by war criminal Putin is the same as the kidnapping of Polish children by Hitler. We must all work together to put an end to it.”
— Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC-2)

“This is not a side effect of war. It is a deliberate strategy of cultural annihilation. The International Criminal Court has recognized it, the world has recognized it, and yet these children are still not home. Their return is non-negotiable.”
— Marianna Tretiak, Chair, American Coalition for Ukraine

The installation is intended to travel to other U.S. cities and events, with additional requests already received from partner organizations.

Razom for Ukraine is a U.S. nonprofit providing medical and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and serving as a leading advocate for continued U.S. support for Ukraine. For additional information, please contact our media advisors: Kateryna Lisunova at kateryna.lisunova@razomforukraine.org or +1 (347) 421-1755, or Ostap Yarysh at ostap.yarysh@razom.org or +1 (202) 560-2282.