‘Bring Kids Back’: 20,000 Ukrainian children missing since war honored at state Capitol
HIGHLIGHTING. MIKE AND BRIAN. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS A POWERFUL EXHIBIT HERE ON THE WEST STEPS OF THE STATE CAPITOL. TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF THE TEDDY BEARS THAT HAVE BEEN SET UP. I’VE NEVER SEEN SO MANY TEDDY BEARS. 20,000 TO BE EXACT. THE WORDS HERE BRING KIDS BACK. ALSO UKRAINIAN CHILDREN AND PUTIN ABDUCTED 20,000 CHILDREN. THAT IS THE MESSAGE FROM ORGANIZERS. AND THE NOTION IS JOINING ME LIVE THIS MORNING TO TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE MESSAGE THAT YOU’RE HOPING TO SEND TO FAMILIES. AND YOU’RE ALSO HOPING TO UNIFY THE COMMUNITY TODAY. TODAY WE ARE HOSTING THIS INCREDIBLE INSTALLATION TO DRAW PUBLIC ATTENTION TO THIS CAUSE. 20,000 KIDS REPRESENTED HERE BY THESE TEDDY BEARS, THOSE CHILDREN WERE FORCIBLY REPLACED TO THE RUSSIAN TERRITORY DURING THIS WAR. REPLACING KIDS FROM THEIR HOMELAND DURING THE WAR. CONFLICT IS CONSIDERED AS A WAR CRIME. SO WE ARE HERE TODAY TO DRAW PUBLIC ATTENTION AND TO ASK COMMUNITY LEADERS, WORLD LEADERS, UNITED STATES LEADERS, TO FIND A WAY TO BRING THOSE KIDS BACK AND TO FIND A WAY TO DEVELOP A LAW OR, A PROTOCOL OR ALGORITHM TO BRING TO RESPONSIBILITY ALL THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, AND TO PREVENT SUCH A THING IN THE FUTURE. AND THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN IN WASHINGTON, LOS ANGELES, AND NOW HERE IN THE STATE CAPITOL. WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU GUYS TO CHOOSE SACRAMENTO AS ONE OF YOUR LOCATIONS? SO THIS INSTALLATION HERE IS HOSTED BY SUNFLOWER SOCIETY. WE ARE A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT IN SACRAMENTO, GREATER SACRAMENTO AREA. WE HAVE BEEN RILEY RUNNING UKRAINIAN RALLIES HERE IN THIS PLACE SINCE THE FULL SCALE INVASION. EVERY 24TH OF EACH MONTH. SO WE COMMITTED TO DRAW PUBLIC ATTENTION TO THE CAUSE OF ABDUCTED CHILDREN, PRISONERS OF WAR, TORTURED IN RUSSIAN PRISONERS, CIVILIAN HOSTAGES THAT HAD BEEN TAKEN FROM THEIR HOMES IN KHERSON, MARIUPOL AND OTHER PLACES. THIS IS OUR GOAL TO. BRING ATTENTION TO THIS CAUSE, TO KEEP SOCIETY INFORMED OF EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING OF WAR CRIMES. AND WE, AS I SAID, WANT THE RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE TO HAVE TAKEN ACCOUNTABILITY AND KIDS TO BRING HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR POWERFUL MESSAGE TODAY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THERE IS ONE DAY TO CATCH THIS. IT’S ONLY GOING TO BE HERE TODAY, AND THEN IT MOVES ON OVER TO THE CITY OF BAKERSFIELD. SO IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE, COME ON OUT AND SEE IT WITH YOUR FAMILY. WE’VE SEEN A NUMBER OF FAMILIES ALREADY COME BY AND WALKING AROUND VERY EMOTIONAL WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES. IT IS A VERY MOVING TRIBUTE FOR THE CHILDREN OF UKRAINE AT THE STATE CAPITOL. LETICIA ORDAZ, KCRA THREE NEWS. LETICIA, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THAT LIVE REPORT. NOW, THE INSTALLATION WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FROM 10:00 THIS MORNI
‘Bring Kids Back’: 20,000 Ukrainian children missing since war honored at state Capitol
Updated: 11:38 AM PDT Jul 6, 2026
Twenty-thousand teddy bears have been placed on the state Capitol’s West Steps on Monday morning in honor of the children who have been displaced in the ongoing war in Ukraine.Spokesperson and organizer of Sunflower Society, Mira Rubin, said that, “Today’s message is to bring awareness to the Northern California region, regardless of where you sit on the political aisle. We are here in solidarity for the children, their families, and their future.” Each teddy bear represents each Ukrainian child who has been deported, forcibly transferred, or separated from their family, Rubin said. This comes more than four years after Russia launched its invasion. Sunflower Society is one of many partnering groups, bringing their “Bring Kids Back” installation to Sacramento. The installation is open to the public Monday only from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The installation was first displayed on the National Mall in our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C, and later exhibited in Los Angeles.Sacramento is the fourth-largest Ukrainian community in the United States, with over 20,000 Ukrainian residents. The coalition hopes to bring public awareness to our region and support international efforts to secure the return of Ukraine’s children. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Twenty-thousand teddy bears have been placed on the state Capitol’s West Steps on Monday morning in honor of the children who have been displaced in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Spokesperson and organizer of Sunflower Society, Mira Rubin, said that, “Today’s message is to bring awareness to the Northern California region, regardless of where you sit on the political aisle. We are here in solidarity for the children, their families, and their future.”
Each teddy bear represents each Ukrainian child who has been deported, forcibly transferred, or separated from their family, Rubin said. This comes more than four years after Russia launched its invasion.
Sunflower Society is one of many partnering groups, bringing their “Bring Kids Back” installation to Sacramento. The installation is open to the public Monday only from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The installation was first displayed on the National Mall in our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C, and later exhibited in Los Angeles.
Sacramento is the fourth-largest Ukrainian community in the United States, with over 20,000 Ukrainian residents. The coalition hopes to bring public awareness to our region and support international efforts to secure the return of Ukraine’s children.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google