00:00One face of Russian atrocities in Ukraine, 11-year-old Roman Oleksyev.
00:05In 2022, a missile struck the hospital where he and his mother were staying.
00:10She died under the rubble.
00:12Roman suffered burns to nearly half his body.
00:15Now he's in Washington sharing his story with congressmen.
00:18But it's not the politicians who impress him most.
00:22Honestly, I really like it here.
00:24There's so much snow, and the cars are really cool, especially the big trucks.
00:31He really loves cars, so we just wanted to see what was here.
00:37Roman has undergone multiple surgeries and rehabilitation in Germany, with more to come.
00:42Between treatments, hobbies keep his spirits up.
00:46I love playing the accordion and ballroom dancing.
00:50And in fact, it's also therapy.
00:52Because when I play the accordion, it's therapy for my hand.
00:57And when I dance, it's therapy for my legs.
01:01Does dad help you play? Do you play together?
01:05Yes, of course. I'm an accordion teacher.
01:07That's why I teach him to play.
01:09Our whole family is accordionists.
01:11My wife is an accordionist. Roman and I are as well.
01:14Today, Roman has a message for the adults who will help decide his country's future.
01:21What would you tell them?
01:23I would tell them to support Ukraine, to protect Ukrainian children, because when we are together, we are strong and
01:30invincible.
01:31Roman is a child who has been harmed by the war.
01:36And when he tells politicians this himself, they understand it differently.
01:40His words land far more powerfully than if the same message came from an outside observer.
01:47And both Democrats and Republicans hear him.
01:51That it's impacting the children of Ukraine, that they're not only being bombed and maimed and scarred and killed,
01:58but they're being abducted by the Russians and indoctrinated.
02:02I was watching a documentary, the exact playbook out of Nazi Germany they did with the Polish people.
02:09I mean, the message I'd like to send is that we support Ukraine, and I always have.
02:15We support countries against aggression, and the Russians won't let up, but I'm a big fan of additional sanctions.
02:25The longer the United States waits to make a very strong statement, the worse it is for Ukraine,
02:35but also the worse it is for America in terms of its support of democracy and freedom.
02:40What would make that statement strong? Sanctions, more weaponry, more aid, more money?
02:46All of the above. All of the above.
02:49And just like Roman, hundreds of Ukraine supporters gathered here in Washington, D.C.,
02:54urging the U.S. to do more.
02:56For the fourth year in a row, they rallied at the Lincoln Memorial,
02:59many hoping that this time may be the last.
03:02We dream about it, but we have to be realized that Russia will not stop until massive sanctions,
03:10until their economic collapse, until their people, Russian people,
03:15will come to the streets protesting their government and protesting the genocidal war in Ukraine.
03:23My dream is for the war in Ukraine to end, but children want just one thing,
03:28to go to school in peace, to play, and to dream.
03:31The war has destroyed it all.
03:35And to make this dream come true, Roman says he will keep sharing his story again and again.
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