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Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, became the first British royal to visit Ukraine in two years, showing support for victims of sexual violence by Russian soldiers during her emotional visit.
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Sophie said she had travelled to many conflict-ridden countries in her work with the the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the United Nations' Women, Peace and Security Agenda and that “women and girls pay the highest price” in war.
“Where we cannot prevent it from happening, what we must do is put measures in place to support those who have fallen victim to such crimes,” the 59-year-old said at a reception in the capital of Kyiv.
Her visit came at the request of Ukraine's foreign and commonwealth office to demonstrate solidarity with women, men and children impacted by war.
She also gave a private message from King Charles to the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and his wife, Olena. Additionally, she discussed support for survivors of sexual violence from conflict.
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Over the years Sophie has visited a number of countries affected by war, including Kosovo, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Colombia.
During her visit to Ukraine, she honoured the victims of Kremlin forces, especially the more than 450 people killed in Bucha, near Kyiv, where Russian soldiers besieged the town for more than a month, committing executions and sexual assaults on girls as young as 14.
The mom-of-two appeared overcome with emotion as she thanked the survivors of sexual violence, both male and female, for bravely sharing their stories.
Sophie met with children who had been safely returned to Ukraine, after being forcibly separated from their families and deported by Russia as part of their campaign to erase Ukrainian culture.
She also spoke about how she’d met so “many wonderful Ukrainians” in the United Kingdom since the start of the war.
“But of course, what is true is that the hearts of every Ukrainian that I’ve met in the United Kingdom, their hearts remain here. They would like to return home one day and, God willing, that will happen.”
Sources: dailymail.co.uk, Instagram, royal.uk/news
