In early October, the Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Los Angeles hosted a presentation of the book Jingle Bellz by former prisoner of war Oleksiy Anuli, who spent more than 10 months in Russian captivity, including 130 days in solitary confinement.
The presentation was attended by representatives of the Ukrainian community, American political circles and spiritual leaders.
Oleksiy Anuli shared that he could not find peace until he decided to write his confession. To this end, the Latvian government provided him with a house where he voluntarily created conditions as close as possible to those of captivity, which helped him remember all the horrors he had experienced. As the author himself said, he wrote the book for three months, 18 hours a day — the same amount of time that the Russians tortured him, forcing him to stand motionless.
The book presentation was complemented by a photo exhibition by Ukrainian journalist Nataliya Dudka, ‘Where Home Once Was,’ which documents destroyed residential buildings in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions. The photographs created an emotional backdrop for the presentation, highlighting the scale of the tragedy of war and the importance of eyewitness accounts.
During the event, attendees had the opportunity to ask Oleksiy questions in person. One of the visitors, whose brother is still in Russian captivity, asked how to support him morally. Anuli replied that the most important thing is to know that your loved ones are okay, that they are waiting for you at home and fighting for your release.
Oleksiy's visit to the United States was organised by the charity GO Ukraine in Los Angeles. Prior to the presentation, he and representatives of the organisation attended the ‘Reconstruction Ukraine’ summit in Washington, where he spoke about his experience in captivity and the importance of returning Ukrainian prisoners of war.
During his visit, Oleksiy met with American pastor Mark Burns, who has long supported Donald Trump and is considered his spiritual advisor, as well as Republican Congressman Don Bacon. After the meeting, the congressman said:
‘He came not as a victim, but to emphasise our shared values, the need to expose Russia's crimes and why supporting Ukraine is important for our national security... His book, Jingle Bellz, exposes these crimes and shows why we must stand up to bullies like Putin.’
Oleksiy also met with Megan Mobbs, daughter of US Special Representative for Ukraine Keith Kellogg, who expressed her willingness to get involved in prisoner exchange issues.
The book presentation and photo exhibition were not only cultural events, but also a call for solidarity, remembrance and action in support of Ukraine.