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НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ • Березень-Квітень 2026 9 While Peter may not represent the majority of russians, he does repre - sent a small but important subset of russians living inside the country who are dedicated anti-war, pro-democracy activists. Not being in the majority doesn’t diminish the importance of their work. I believe this makes his perspective and story worth telling and may even encourage other russians to speak up and speak out against the war. I know that people like Peter exist because I used to work with them. Their support for Ukraine and commitment to ending the war and promoting democ - racy are unwavering, and I believe they are strong allies for Ukraine in this war. At USAID, a large part of our job was to elevate the voices of those who were marginalized but doing important work. Peter’s char - acter gives voice to those russians who are trying to do the right thing in an impossibly difficult situation. Additionally, because of where the abducted children are taken within russia, rescues require the assistance of people like Peter. I am very grateful to the UNWLA for its support of the book! how impossible is the choice she faces — wheth - er to stay in Mariupol searching for Sasha or get - ting Nastya lifesaving medical treatment. I think it is a feeling all mothers and fathers, regardless of nationality, would relate to. The disappearance or loss of a child is something that transcends national identities. Love is love, and Mariya will do anything to protect her children. For Nastya, I want readers to understand how much responsibility she puts on herself for the situ - ation and how complex her emotions are. Not only does she feel guilty about Sasha’s disappearance, but she also feels a deep sense of responsibility for her mother’s well-being. She is just a child, but she truly feels like it is her job to help find Sasha and to bring her family back together. For Sasha, I want readers to understand how deeply he can make connections, perceive good and bad, and understand complicated issues. I’ve had one reader comment to me about how Sasha’s narrative seems a little advanced for his age; how - ever, as the mother of an almost-nine-year-old, I can tell you that they are very capable of complex thoughts and deep emotional connections. Some - times they struggle to express themselves, which is why hearing the thoughts and connections being made inside Sasha’s head is so important. I imagine that war and what Sasha goes through only serve to amplify this, which is why I chose to write his narrative in this way. For Peter, I want readers to understand how he is still growing into himself. He is young, but he has a strong sense of morality and is committed to doing what he believes is right. His initial fears about what will happen to him and his family if he is caught (and his guilt over being scared) eventu - ally subside as he realizes that the most important thing is returning Sasha to his family. What has the response been to the book, to date? Responses have been very positive to date. Many friends and family members have reached out after reading it to tell me they had no idea this was taking place. Former colleagues and partners who have read it have thanked me for raising awareness about the issue. Prior to self-publishing, I sought literary representation. Most agents were supportive of the approach and the writing style, however they thought a book covering this topic would be difficult to place with a publisher. This was disappointing because it is such a politically relevant subject and, as far as I’m aware, no books to date have been published on the topic. The Ukrainian community has been very disappointed by the lack of any significant oppo - sition to the war both within russia and in russian communities in the U.S. and the West. What is your response to those in the Ukrainian community who express concern or dis - appointment that one of the heroes in your book is russian, since, unfortunately, he is not representative of the vast majority of russians?
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