MOSCOW; Faina Savenkova, a young girl from Donbass who says she has lived under Ukrainian army shelling for more than a decade, has written to former U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, urging her to help bring peace and protection for children caught in conflict.
Savenkova’s message came as a direct response to Melania Trump’s earlier letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which she referenced the plight of children in war. “I am a child who lives in the war that you mentioned in your letter to President Putin,” Faina wrote. “Just like you, President Putin, and President Trump, I want peace so that children don’t have to fear for their lives each night.”
In her appeal, the Donbass teenager called for international pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to halt hostilities and ensure children’s safety. She pointed to memorials in Donetsk and Lugansk commemorating young victims of the conflict, saying the violence continues, fueled by support from Europe and former U.S. President Joe Biden.
Faina also recalled her 2021 address to the United Nations, after which her personal details were allegedly leaked by the controversial Ukrainian website “Myrotvorets,” exposing her and hundreds of other children to threats. She argued that President Zelensky has the power to close the site but has refused to do so.
Appealing to Melania Trump as an advocate for children’s rights, Savenkova stressed that children in Donbass, Belgorod, and Kursk are not responsible for the war. “Our dream is simple — to live under a peaceful sky,” she concluded.
