The stories of four children from Ukraine, whose growing up was affected by Russian armed aggression, and their personal belongings that remind them of war, home, or relatives.

The Best Teddy Bear

I really love this bear. I've had him for over three years and he's everything to me. To me, he is the best.

He is connected with my grandparents, who remained in the Zaporizhzhia region-–this is already Russia. I love them very much. It's such a shame that I don't see them.

Olena, b. 2012, Zaporizhzhia

The explosion I remembered

Once I was out with friends in the Shevchenkiv district, and we were sitting in the park on a bench, talking. At one point, a rocket flew into ATB, which was three or four minutes away from us. I got this ticket when I went back home after that by bus.

I decided to keep it because when I look at it, I immediately feel my memories of that day. I think I will remember this explosion for the rest of my life.

I can't imagine how we will live after the war. I'm already used to it, and I don't know what will happen when the war ends.

Maxym, b.2009, Zaporizhzhia

Displaced Dragon

I liked Poland, there are a lot of very kind people there. I saw teachers taking children around the city, telling them about folk culture and monuments.

This toy is a symbol of Krakow. There were a ton of souvenir shops in Krakow, and every shop had these dragons. I spent almost all my time with him before I moved to Britain.

When I came back to Kyiv again, we went to a store, and in the store there was a toy machine with a dragon just like this lying inside. And I realized that one of the migrant dragons had moved from Krakow to Kyiv.

Arina, b. 2013, Zaporizhzhia

"My Ukraine, you are the best in the world"

There is a word in Crimean Tatar "Саткын" (Satqin), which translates as "corrupt". That's what we called everyone who changed after the occupation. Until 2014, they held the Ukrainian position, and after that, the Russian one.

Our music teacher was one of those "Satqin." For example, we learned the song "My Ukraine," which includes the following lines: "My Ukraine, you are the best in the world, green fields, my Ukraine, I love you." At the beginning of 2014, we performed it with her. And after that she started giving us Russian songs.

In 2016, my family and I went on a trip. One of our stops was Kamianets-Podilskyi. We went to the castle, and there was a small shop with various products. Very beautiful.

We talked to the owner. She asked where we were from, and we said that we were from Crimea. My parents asked me to sing this song that we sang at school. Everyone applauded me, and the owner gave me a whistle in the shape of a bird. It is still associated with such warm, warm memories from our trip.

Safiye, b. 2004, Simferopol