SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) — Ukraine and Russia have been involved with a deadly war that has spanned nearly four years and left hundreds of thousands dead, including hundreds of children.
As reported peace conversations continue between the nations and the United States, Santa Clara County is honoring the lives lost.
Six hundred sixty-four angels fill a space in the county building, a tribute to Ukrainian children killed in the war.
The memorial is in the building where Supervisor Otto Lee works every day.
“I’m a father of three daughters, and this could be one of my daughters if I were living in Ukraine,” Lee said. “It’s horrific in many ways, especially with how the war has been carried out.”
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The memorial has traveled across the world, throughout Europe and to Canada. The local branch of Ukrainian National Women’s League of America has now brought it to San Jose.
San Jose State Assistant Professor Ulia Gosart, a native of Ukraine, says this shines a light on the dark realities of war.
“It reminds us the cost of contemporary wars, that children have to pay with their own lives,” Gosart said. “It also reminds us of the brutality of the war, that not only takes place at the front line, but also at people’s homes and it takes the lives of families and innocent children.”
But there’s some optimism that the loss of life may soon come to an end.
A US official told ABC News Tuesday a potential peace deal is in place after talks with Russian and Ukrainian delegations overseas.
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It could mean the end to a nearly four-year war and a stop to the death toll of the children that has only continued rising.
“The killing needs to stop, and I’m really hoping that some kind of peace — and in this case, a just peace — can be reached,” Lee said. “So that the killing, missiles and drone attacks end.”
Until then, we remember. So we never forget locally about the sacrifices made abroad.
The display will remain in the county building until the end of the month before a similar memorial for Palestinian children is created in its place.
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