As Russia continues its relentless assault on their country, thousands of Ukrainians are currently hiding in bunkers. In many cities, basic supplies are running perilously low and the displaced are forced to endure hardships and indignities – no privacy, no bathrooms, no medical care.
But the Ukrainian people have shown a remarkable resolve throughout the two week conflict, simultaneously inspiring the world and frustrating Russian aggressors.
Amelia, a talented little girl living in a bomb shelter in Kyiv, embodied the nation’s indefatigable spirit when she performed a rendition of ‘Let it Go,’ the smash-hit from Disney’s Frozen (watch above).
Another woman in the shelter, Marta Smekhova, filmed the performance and asked Amelia’s mother for permission to post it on social media.
Smekhova’s subsequent Facebook post went viral.
In a video posted to social media and viewed millions of times, a little girl in a shelter in Kyiv, Ukraine, is seen singing "Let It Go" from the hit Disney film "Frozen." pic.twitter.com/QSb1YPOBxJ
— CNN (@CNN) March 7, 2022
“From the first word in the [bomb shelter] came complete silence… everyone put their business aside and listen[ed] to a song by this girl who was just beaming light… even men couldn’t hold back the tears,” Smekhova wrote.
“Look, Russians, against whom you are fighting!” Smekhova continued. “Only a coward can fight against civilians, take away childhood from defenseless children! You let your children go to the stew, making them into cannon meat… and our children radiate light, and even in a raw dark basement it does not blink, but ignites even brighter!”
We see you. We really, really see you. 💙💛 https://t.co/Vhln1MjXpX
— Idina Menzel (@idinamenzel) March 7, 2022
Idina Menzel, whose recording of ‘Let it Go,’ won an Oscar, applauded Amelia’s performance on Twitter, writing “We see you. We really, really see you.”