Hayden Panettiere Clarifies Whether Her Daughter Kaya Is In Ukraine
Some might not know Hayden Panettiere has personal ties to Ukraine, as her ex-fiancé is Ukrainian famed boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Panettiere has been helping raise awareness about Russian aggression in Ukraine by sharing posts from Klitschko, who is the father of her daughter, Kaya, born in 2014. Condemning Vladimir Putin, he wrote on Instagram: "We must face reality and have the courage to draw the conclusions for our future and that of our children. This is a blatant violation of international law. And, if you listen carefully, this war is also talking about Europe."
Panettiere's support for Ukraine and Klitschko should come as a surprise, as the former couple spent almost 10 years together before calling it quits in 2018, as E! Online reported. Before splitting up, there were many happy times — when the two got engaged in 2013, Klitschko gave Panettiere a 6-carat diamond engagement ring worth $500,000, the outlet noted. And when the two welcomed baby girl Kaya they announced in a statement, per The Hollywood Reporter, "We are over the moon and madly in love!"
As for Kaya's post-split living arrangements, People reported in 2018 that the little one was living with her dad in Ukraine due to Panettiere's personal struggles — however, that was never confirmed, and her rep noted at the time the actor saw her daughter "regularly." Still, after Panettiere posted about the Russian attack on Ukraine, many fans worried about the safety of her daughter Kaya.
Hayden Panettiere says Kaya is not in Ukraine
Fans expressed concerned about the safety of Hayden Panettiere's daughter Kaya amid the star's February 25 Instagram post, which included a photo of her smiling in what appears to be a gathering in Ukraine. Panettiere wrote in the emotional post: "I have personally witnessed the strength of the Ukrainian people who fought so hard for their independence and have continued to passionately defend their country over the years. What Putin is doing is an absolute disgrace!" The "Heroes" alum continued, "I'm praying for my family and friends there and everyone who's fighting ... For now, I ask for those of us who can't be there to stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with the people of Ukraine."
After fans panicked about Kaya's safety in the comments section, Panettiere confirmed that Kaya was not in Ukraine in the Instagram comments, People reported. It's not clear where Kaya is at this time.
As for Wladimir Klitschko, he joined Ukraine's reserve army early in February, as ESPN reported. And his brother, Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, also said he was ready to fight.