Hollywood actress Carey Mulligan has called on the UK Government and international community to demand information from Russia about thousands of Ukrainian children reportedly taken from their homes. The Bafta-winning star, known for roles in The Great Gatsby and Suffragette, made the appeal as a founding global ambassador for War Child charity.
The charity launched its Return Every Child campaign on Sunday to highlight the tens of thousands of children who have gone missing from Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion. The campaign also focuses on the million more children living under Russian occupation who face the risk of transfer, indoctrination and militarisation.
Powerful installation highlights missing children
A striking public installation has been set up at the Now Building at Outernet London featuring 19,546 paper dolls. Each doll represents a child who has reportedly been forcibly taken from their home and transferred into Russia, according to War Child.
Speaking at the launch event in central London, Mulligan said: "War Child has filled this space with paper dolls, one for each child that has been confirmed stolen from their homes in Ukraine. In 2025 it has become worryingly common to talk about children whose lives have been destroyed by war in the thousands, but each one of these children is somebody's world."
Actress describes children's ordeal
Mulligan detailed the reported experiences of the affected children in her speech. "They've been torn from their families and taken across borders, deep into Russia. They've been placed in institutions, in camps and in homes that are not theirs," she said.
She continued: "They are told that their country does not exist. They're told that their parents abandoned them. They're told to forget their history, their language, their roots, and behind every child taken is a family living in agony."
The actress described how families are reportedly suffering, with "parents staring at empty beds, brothers and sisters who don't understand why their sibling is gone." She also highlighted concerns about indoctrination, stating: "Meanwhile, many of these children are being indoctrinated and militarised to serve the interests of the Russian state."
International action demanded
Mulligan called the situation a war crime under international law, describing it as "a betrayal of what we owe children." She urged the international community to take concrete action, saying: "We call on the international community to demand from Russia full access to information about every Ukrainian child taken."
The actress also called for diplomatic and legal measures to ensure accountability and funding for long-term recovery. "From what I've seen in my role with War Child over the last 10 years, recovery is possible with the right resources," she said.
Visitors to the installation can add drawings or messages of hope and sign a petition urging further UK Government action. Helen Pattinson, chief executive of War Child UK, said: "Every Ukrainian child taken must be returned safely, and we hope that through this powerful installation at The Now Building, we can raise some much needed awareness on this pressing issue."
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
