Parliamentarians from all political parties were visibly moved last night during a preview screening of the documentary After the Rain: Putin’s Stolen Children Come Home, hosted by Lord McConnell, former First Minister of Scotland. The event, which took place in the House of Lords, focused on the harrowing story of Ukrainian children deported to Russia during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The documentary, qualified for this year’s Academy Awards, tells the story of two children, seven-year-old Sasha Mezhevoy and fourteen-year-old Veronika Vlasova, who were illegally taken from Ukraine and recently freed from Russian institutions. Their testimonies, along with those of other children, are central to the case against Russian President Vladimir Putin, who faces charges from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the illegal deportation of children.
The film highlights the estimated 20,000 children still stranded in Russian institutions, forcibly separated from their families amid the war. The documentary also shines a light on the Ukrainian Child Rights Network’s efforts to bring these children home. As global attention focuses on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, particularly with President-elect Donald Trump’s stated goal of resolving the war, the fate of these children remains uncertain. Trump, in his talks with Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky, may address the deportations as part of the wider peace negotiations.
Lord McConnell, who hosted the screening on behalf of the New Generation Europe Foundation, expressed his emotional response to the film, emphasising the importance of continued support for Ukraine and its people. “The trauma these children and their families have endured is staggering,” he said. “The scale of these abductions underscores the need for the world to confront Putin’s actions.”
The film’s director, Sarah McCarthy, alongside Inna Sidoruk, a therapy dog handler who assisted in caring for the children once they were freed in Estonia, answered questions after the screening. McCarthy shared her commitment to bringing attention to the plight of the stolen children, noting, “This is just the beginning.”
Executive Producer Sheila Nevins, who has won 26 Academy Awards, spoke passionately about the film’s impact, especially in the context of shifting international diplomacy. “It’s essential that the world feels the plight of these children,” she said. “This film can make that happen.”
As the international community continues to push for justice and the safe return of these children, After the Rain serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing human cost of the war and the urgency of addressing Putin’s war crimes.
