After the start of a full-scale war in Ukraine, children became not only witnesses of the disaster, but also participants in the struggle for humanity and life. Despite fear, loss, evacuation, and daily anxiety, they learn to help their neighbors, support the Ukrainian military, volunteer, rescue the wounded, and even resist the occupation on their own. Their actions did not go unnoticed: for the first time in Ukraine, a special presidential award was presented – “Future of Ukraine”.
On June 5, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi presented this award for the first time to children who proved themselves in extreme situations — they saved people, survived occupation and deportation, helped the wounded, volunteered, supported the families of prisoners of war, and single-handedly testified about crimes against humanity. It was awarded to 24 children, each of whom became an example of fortitude, empathy and civic maturity. Zelenskyi told about this in his Telegram channels, and the details were disclosed in Office of the President.
Among the awardees is 16-year-old Tymofiy Poteryailo from Dnipro. He repeatedly came to the places after rocket attacks, helped rescuers, brought out the wounded, in particular, he pulled out an almost unconscious woman from under the fragments of glass. At the same time, Timofey collected money for the Ukrainian military by playing the bandura. Today, he continues to go to places where it hurts – not as an observer, but as an assistant.
Another example is 16-year-old Dmytro Amalskyi from the Mykolaiv region. During a fire in an apartment building, he carried his nine-year-old brother out of the flames, handed him over to his mother, and then tried to put out the fire himself. At that moment, there were no rescuers – only a child’s decision to act, not wait.
Eight-year-old Zakhar Babak from Lutsk impressed with his constancy. His father, a soldier, was captured. And for almost two years now, Zakhar has been taking part in actions in support of prisoners and missing persons every week together with his mother. His story is about memory and the struggle that doesn’t stop even when there are no answers.
Another dimension of heroism is the ability to act without fear for the lives of others. 14-year-old Andriy Balabanov, 11-year-old Nazar Donets and 14-year-old Artem Shemygon from the Kharkiv region witnessed the man fall under the ice. Without waiting for rescuers, they rushed to help and pulled him out of the water. And 17-year-old Ilya Zavalnyi in Zhytomyr region was able to save a friend with the help of branches when he also fell under the ice.
The story of 11-year-old Margarita Gariaga from Mariupol is a tragedy in which there is still life left. After the Russian bombing of the house, nine of her relatives were killed. It was possible to survive thanks to the fact that the girl called for help from under the rubble, without losing consciousness and hope.
The act of 16-year-old Adriana Goy from Khmelnytskyi region is no less impressive: she single-handedly resuscitated a two-year-old boy who was involved in a road accident. The child was saved before the arrival of medics. Her actions are the result of training and deep compassion.
Another facet of this story is the conscious rejection of collaborationism. 15-year-old boxer Mark Komarov from Energodar was under occupation, but flatly refused to compete for Russia, even despite the pressure and risks.
There are children who have become a symbol of peaceful resistance. Eight-year-old Diana Kostyria from the occupied Kherson region sang the national anthem of Ukraine every day, hung flags and pictures with Ukrainian symbols on her house, and then hid them as soon as she heard that the Russian military was approaching.
In 2022, 14-year-old Kostyantyn Orekhov from the Kyiv region pulled his sister and grandfather out of a damaged house after a rocket attack. And 16-year-old Olga Laktionova saved the girl from the icy water of the Ingulets River.
Another extraordinary story is that of 13-year-old Kiril Ilyashenko from Sumy. During the Russian shelling, he received shrapnel wounds to the head, but despite this he was able to break the window of the burning bus and help the passengers to get out.
The children who survived the deportation were not left out either. 15-year-old Kira Obedynska and 14-year-old Oleksandr Radchuk from Mariupol lost their relatives, but continue to speak about Russia’s crimes on international platforms. And 17-year-old Ilona Tarasova from Kharkiv Oblast, risking her life, gave the Ukrainian military information about enemy movements in the first days of the occupation.
Finally, the example of 16-year-old Kyryl Shavkun. After the explosion of the Kakhovskaya HPP, he took people out of the flooded areas by boat, and at the same time convinced others not to betray Ukraine, even under the threat of punishment.
Photo: Telegram/Volodymyr Zelensky
These children are not just the “future of Ukraine”, they are already its present. President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said during the award ceremony:
“You are our future. I am very proud that we have such children, children with such values, with such a sense of what is right… Thank you for your concern.”
The “Future of Ukraine” award, approved by the head of state by decree on May 29, will now become annual. These children discovered the most important thing: in the darkest moments you can remain human. Even if you’re only eight and have seen war before a history book.
