I, Tetyana Isenko, mother of two draughts athletes – Isenko Danylo and Isenko Denys – wish to express my firm position regarding the potential return of russian and Belarusian players to international competitions before a complete and lasting ceasefire is established in Ukraine. Версія статьї українською тут.

The war in Ukraine continues. As of February 26, 2026, according to official data from the «Children of War» state portal, 685 children have been killed and 2375 have been injured. These figures are not final; the actual toll is significantly higher, as we lack access to occupied territories. We live in the Dnipropetrovsk region, one of the areas with the highest number of child casualties. Our children die every day. Furthermore, thousands of Ukrainian children have been illegally deported or forcibly removed by russia. Let us not forget that over 2 million Ukrainian children were forced to flee abroad as refugees – torn away from their homeland, their fathers, grandparents, and friends. They long to return home but do not yet have that opportunity. These are not just dry statistics; these are shattered lives and destinies that can never be restored.

For four years since the beginning of russia’s full-scale invasion, our children have been forced to survive in harrowing conditions. They live without light or heat, to the constant sound of air raid sirens, facing the risk of death in any corner of Ukraine. They have been robbed of a normal childhood. Every day, they seek refuge in bomb shelters, often sitting for hours in freezing rooms wearing their winter coats. As a result, children suffer from various ailments, ranging from chronic allergies to manifestations of neurosis. Despite this, they continue to study and train, often by the dim light of battery-powered lamps.

Every time we travel to a competition in another city, we take a risk due to the constant shelling, including attacks on the railway infrastructure. In 2024, during the Ukrainian Championship in Ivano-Frankivsk, we were jolted awake by the sounds of explosions and shattering glass. In the room next to ours, a young athlete was sleeping; she was covered in glass shards and miraculously escaped physical injury. However, she – and all of us – sustained psychological trauma that will last a lifetime. We spent the entire night in a basement, praying for our lives. The next morning, the competition proceeded. The children went to play their matches – sleepy, terrified, exhausted, and weary of war.

This is just one example of our reality. Even under such conditions, we do not give up. We continue to fight for victories in draughts to honorably represent our country on the world stage.

As a mother of two athletes, I consider it profoundly unjust to allow russian and Belarusian players to participate in international competitions. It is unconscionable to force my children to sit across the board from those who, in one way or another, support the murder of Ukrainians and the destruction of our nation. This is a form of psychological pressure. How can they be expected to shake hands, take photos together, or share a podium? Even if these athletes are not holding weapons themselves, their parents, brothers, or friends have come to our land with guns in their hands to destroy our homes and lives.

While children may not be directly responsible for the actions of adults, they carry those actions within them through their upbringing and by mirroring the reactions of their parents. Responsibility here lies in a conscious choice: whether to continue down this path or to change it. We have the right to demand moral accountability in the form of a ban on russian and Belarusian athletes from international sports.

Our children already endure the full weight of this war. We cannot protect them 100% from missiles and bombs, but we must protect them 100% from unfair decisions. We must be an example of honesty and dignity. Therefore, permitting russian and Belarusian athletes to compete is a crime against children and against humanity. I call upon you to hear my voice – as the voice of all Ukrainian mothers!

Tetyana Isenko