Sydney, Australia — Valentyna Poltavchenko fled the horrors of war in Ukraine, dodging bombs and chaos in a desperate bid to give her children a safe future. She believed she had found that sanctuary Down Under. But in a cruel twist of fate, her 10-year-old daughter, Matilda, was gunned down during a terrorist attack at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach.

Now, the heartbroken mother is breaking her silence, posing a haunting question about the depths of human cruelty that has left Australia reeling.

“I came from Ukraine to protect my children from the bombs,” Valentyna said in an emotional interview, her voice cracking with grief. “I thought Australia was safe. No war, no danger. But what kind of monster stands there and shoots at innocent children celebrating a holiday of light?”

The attack unfolded on December 14, 2025, the first night of Hanukkah, at Archer Park adjacent to Bondi Beach. Hundreds had gathered for the annual “Chanukah by the Sea” event organized by the local Chabad Jewish community. Families, including many Jewish immigrants and refugees, came together to light the menorah, sing songs, and celebrate the Festival of Lights.

Instead, terror descended. Two gunmen — identified by authorities as a 50-year-old father, Sajid Akram, and his 24-year-old son — positioned themselves on a nearby footbridge and opened fire with high-powered weapons. Police later described the assault as an ISIS-inspired antisemitic terrorist act, marking it as Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades.

Fifteen people were killed, including rabbis, a Holocaust survivor, and young Matilda Poltavchenko, the youngest victim. Dozens more were injured in the chaos as panicked crowds fled the beachside park.

Valentyna recounted the horrifying moments to reporters at a vigil near Bondi Pavilion. She was at the event with Matilda, her younger daughter, and other family members. “Matilda was so happy that day,” she said. “She loved animals, she was playing, laughing. We took photos on the beach just hours before. Then the shots started. I saw her fall. What monster does this to a child?”

Photos of Matilda — a bright-eyed girl with a gentle smile — have circulated widely, including one captured on the day of the attack, showing her enjoying the sunny afternoon at Bondi. Her favorite book was Roald Dahl’s “Matilda,” family members shared, adding to the poignant tragedy of her name.

The Poltavchenko family had arrived in Australia as refugees following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Like many Ukrainian Jews, they sought asylum amid the bombardment of cities and the rising threats to Jewish communities. Australia welcomed thousands of Ukrainian refugees during the crisis, offering visas and support programs. Valentyna and her children settled in Sydney, integrating into the vibrant Jewish community in Bondi, known for its strong Chabad presence.

“We left everything behind — our home, our lives — to escape the war,” Valentyna told outlets including ABC News and ITV. “I brought my children here thinking no more fear, no more running. Australia felt like a dream. Safe schools, beautiful beaches, freedom. But now my Matilda is gone, taken by hate.”

Her words echo the profound irony that has gripped the nation: fleeing one form of violence only to encounter another rooted in global antisemitism.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack as “an act of pure evil” and a targeted assault on Jewish Australians. “This was antisemitism on our shores,” he said, vowing stricter gun laws despite Australia’s already tight regulations enacted after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

Police revealed the attackers had amassed a large cache of ammunition and traveled to the Philippines a month prior, raising questions about radicalization. One gunman was killed in the exchange of fire with police; the other faces multiple murder and terrorism charges.

The Jewish community in Sydney, one of Australia’s largest, has been on edge amid a global surge in antisemitic incidents since the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel and the ensuing Gaza conflict. Bondi’s Chabad rabbi, Eli Schlanger, was among those killed while helping others during the shooting.

Other victims included an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor who had rebuilt his life in Australia, a French-Jewish engineer Dan Elkayam, and local volunteers. Funerals have begun, with Matilda’s service drawing hundreds on December 18. Mourners described her as a “little ray of sunshine” who spread joy everywhere.

Valentyna’s aunt, Lina Chernykh, spoke to the BBC at the funeral: “Matilda was innocent, beautiful. She spread love. Maybe she’s an angel now. We don’t want anger — we want her memory to bring light, not more hate.”

Vigils across Sydney and beyond have seen thousands gather, laying flowers at Bondi and calling for unity against hate. GoFundMe campaigns for victims’ families, including the Poltavchenkos, have raised hundreds of thousands.

As investigations continue, Valentyna’s question lingers: How can humanity allow such cruelty? In a world still scarred by war in Ukraine and rising extremism, her story serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of safety — even in places once thought untouchable.

The Bondi Beach Hanukkah attack has not only shattered families but sparked national soul-searching on security, immigration, and combating radical ideology. For Valentyna Poltavchenko, the nightmare is personal: a mother’s unimaginable loss, from Ukrainian battlefields to an Australian beach paradise turned battlefield.