Members of the European Parliament rose to welcome ten-year-old Ukrainian gymnast Oleksandra Paskal. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told her story during an address to the European Parliament.
Speaking about Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, she described them as a deliberate strategy of terror and stressed that Russia had failed to break the Ukrainian people.
“Ukrainians have proven countless times that their spirit cannot be broken. And this summer, a little girl showed the whole world the true essence of this resilience,” von der Leyen said.
She recalled that Sasha was six years old when Russia’s full-scale invasion began and loved rhythmic gymnastics more than anything. However, in May 2022, a Russian missile struck the building where the girl was staying.
“Sasha was rescued from under the rubble. She spent two weeks in a coma, and when she woke up, she discovered that her left leg was gone forever. It seemed her dream had collapsed with the building. But Sasha refused to give up,” the European Commission president said.
According to von der Leyen, just seven months after the attack, the girl returned to training with a new prosthetic leg and later began winning one gold medal after another.
This summer, Sasha embarked on the Dance of Freedom world tour, performing in Paris, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Nairobi and Tokyo. The project aimed to tell the world about Ukrainian resilience and Ukraine’s fight for freedom.
“She has inspired people at the Eiffel Tower and in Times Square, in Rio and in Tokyo. And today, she wants to bring her message right here to the heart of Europe. Honourable Members, please join me in welcoming Sasha. Sasha, you are a great inspiration to all of us,” von der Leyen said.
Following her remarks, members of the European Parliament rose from their seats and gave the Ukrainian gymnast a prolonged standing ovation.
Oleksandra Paskal was injured on May 16, 2022, when a Russian missile struck Zatoka in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region. The girl was trapped under concrete rubble and sustained multiple injuries, including an open fracture of her arm, broken ribs, a head injury and shrapnel wounds. Because of the severity of her injuries, doctors were forced to amputate her left leg.
After treatment and rehabilitation, Sasha learned to walk with a prosthetic leg and returned to rhythmic gymnastics. She won a gold medal at her first competition after the injury. Paskal continues to compete and has become one of the symbols of the resilience of Ukrainian children. Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne previously reported her story, while her participation in the European Parliament session was confirmed by the press service of the Dance of Freedom tour organisers.
