“We Chose Ukraine”: Sisters from Donetsk Tell the Dutch Parliament About Life Under Occupation
10.09.2026
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Olha and Alina, twin sisters and participants in the pilot project “Youth Chooses Ukraine,” visited the Dutch Parliament as part of an international visit by a delegation from the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation together with a representative of the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights. During their speech, the girls spoke about the importance of supporting young people who have returned from occupation or after unlawful displacement, and their adaptation to life in Ukraine.
For the girls, the visit to the Netherlands was a continuation of their difficult but conscious journey. For ten years, Olia and Alina lived in occupied Donetsk while maintaining their pro-Ukrainian stance. The girls said that because of their Ukrainian accent, they could receive lower grades, face humiliation, and have complaints made about them by teachers. At the same time, speaking Ukrainian openly was dangerous. Despite this, Alina studied the language on her own and prepared to enter a Ukrainian university. Eventually, the sisters left occupied Donetsk on their own and went to Kyiv to continue their studies in Ukraine.
“I always understood that I wanted to pursue a profession, develop myself and achieve results in life. But in the occupation, I could not see such a future for myself. I did not want to enter a russian university because I understood that it would not give me the opportunity to fulfil my plans. I chose Ukraine because this is where I see my future. And I am very grateful to the Foundation for its support, which helps me build this future. Only after returning to Ukraine did I truly feel what freedom means,” says 19-year-old Olha.
Her sister Alina adds that the “Youth Chooses Ukraine” project helps overcome the consequences of isolation and socialise as quickly as possible:
“It is very important to me that thanks to this project, I can build my future and receive support. We meet mentors who help us make our dreams come true. I want to become an architect and, after victory, help rebuild my native Donetsk. It is painful to see how the city has deteriorated over the years of occupation. That is why I want to develop my career specifically in Ukraine.”
The visit to the Netherlands is part of international advocacy efforts to support and return Ukrainian youth. In addition to the Dutch Parliament, the delegation from the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and the project participants visited the Embassy of Ukraine in the Netherlands. There, they discussed the needs of Ukrainian youth. Ksenia Sukhova, General Director of the Foundation, also spoke about the “Heart of Azovstal” project, which provides systematic assistance to the defenders of Mariupol and their families, and presented commemorative bracelets to representatives of the embassy.
According to her, the Netherlands is important for international work concerning Ukraine, as The Hague is home to the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. Cooperation with international institutions is important for ensuring russia’s accountability for crimes committed in Ukraine.
“Together with the state, we are developing a clear pathway that could in the future become a support protocol for young people returning from temporarily occupied territories or after unlawful deportation. It is important for us to send a clear signal to those who remain in the occupied territories today and are wondering: should I return to Ukraine, and is there a future for me here? We want every such young person to know: they are expected in Ukraine; there are opportunities here for education, work, development and life, and the state and its partners are ready to help them along this path,” said Ksenia Sukhova.
Shakhtar Football Club has become a partner of the “Youth Chooses Ukraine” project and helps promote it on the international stage. Together with Ksenia Sukhova, Olia and Alina attended Shakhtar’s open pre-match training session in Eindhoven. The twin sisters from Donetsk had long dreamed of seeing their favourite team live, and finally their dream came true. The most important moment is still ahead: supporting their favourite team directly from the stands during the first-round UEFA Champions League match: PSV – Shakhtar.
This will be the first match in which the Miners take to the field in jerseys featuring the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation logo. Throughout the Champions League matches, this logo will help introduce an international audience to the stories of participants in the “Youth Chooses Ukraine” project.
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