Russia’s occupation of Ukraine subjects millions to relentless oppression: property confiscation, torture, arbitrary detention, forced citizenship, conscription, and deportation shape daily life under occupation. These are not mere statistics; behind every statistic is a person, a neighbour, a daughter, a partner, who was taken from their home in the middle of the night and has not been heard from since.
Since the full-scale invasion began, thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been abducted and held in captivity without just cause. Their stories rarely make the news. That is exactly why they need to be told.
New Ukrainian Narratives (NUN) is an organization dedicated to giving voice to those who have been silenced. Founded in 2019 and further shaped by the reality of full-scale war, it documents the stories of Ukrainians who have been kidnapped, deported, or detained by Russia, whether convicted or not, and advocates for their release and for international recognition of their plight.
Through their project Shadows Behind Bars, they shine a light on civilians who have been convicted on fabricated charges, coerced into false confessions, and sentenced to years behind bars with no recourse to justice and no legal remedy. One of them is Yana Suvorova, abducted from her home in August 2023 in Melitopol, a city in Zaporizhzhia oblast that has been under Russian occupation since 2022. She was held for two months with no word of her whereabouts and ultimately sentenced to 14 years in a Russian penal colony on charges of terrorism she did not commit.
Without the Canada-Ukraine Foundation’s support, this project might not have existed. With it, these stories are being told, and the people behind them are not being forgotten. Because this is not only Ukraine’s problem. It is a global one.
Your support helps the people behind the news. Behind every headline is a human story.
To donate using AMEX, PayPal, or Google Pay, please visit our CanadaHelps page.
About the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF)
Founded in 1995, CUF has a strong track record of providing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in the areas of healthcare, education and civil society. CUF collaborates with aid providers in Ukraine, Canada, and beyond to maximize impact and cost-effectiveness of your support.