War of Ukraine “Children who survive the war are able to do anything” – HS met mothers and babies at a Ukrainian children’s hospital

Lviv

Sodat are great suffering for all, but the violence and misery experienced by children are most profound. This time the victims are millions of Ukrainian children.

Eight-year-old Vanja Polskyi is standing outside a children’s hospital in Lviv with her grandmother Maria Zuhulin with. Grandmother has come to use Vanja for magnetic resonance imaging because of this cancer.

“I know about the war that the Russians came here to occupy, but we’re fighting back,” Vanja says, fingering her cell phone. On screen, he shows his favorite game, Brawl Stars.

“Well yeah, sometimes it’s too much to play.”

Grandmother says the boy is having nightmares about the war. Most of the explosions.

“I am no longer afraid for myself, but for my two children and six grandchildren,” Zuhul says.

Even before Russia’s attack on Ukrainian schools taught children survival skills in the war. In addition to math and literacy, the children learned how to identify different types of explosives, how to act in an evacuation situation, and how to give first aid.

The Russian attack has already severely crushed Ukrainian children. At least 17 children have been killed and 30 wounded in hostilities since 24 February, according to UNICEF. According to Unicef, the number of children killed in the war is likely to be “clearly higher” than confirmed.

According to the Ukrainian authorities on Friday, up to 840 children were injured and killed in the attack 28.

“The issue of humanitarian security corridors is issue number one. What are children, women and the elderly doing here? ” Director of the Security Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov asked the news agency AP.

One of the biggest dangers to civilians is the bombing of cities. They have already hit numerous civilian targets.

“The use of explosives in cities could quickly turn this crisis into a disaster for Ukrainian children,” said Unicef ​​Regional Director Afshan Khan corporate in the bulletin. “The consequences are catastrophic.”

In addition to death or injury, Ukrainian children are at risk of, among other things, refugees. More than half a million Ukrainian children have already fled the fighting in neighboring countries, according to an earlier UN estimate this week. The number is growing day by day. The UN estimates that the influx of refugees will become the largest in Europe since World War II.

In Ukraine, children have also been directly affected by the war: schools, kindergartens, orphanages and health centers, among others, have been attacked. In addition, war breaks up families as mothers and children flee the country and fathers remain at war.

In Lviv in a children’s hospital 12 days old Makaryiboy is wrapped in a dumpling. The sheet has a picture of a teddy bear carrying a bird cage.

As a parent, Makaryi can only marvel at what kind of world he was born into. He was baptized in a bomb shelter at a hospital in Kiev. Makaryi means “blessed”.

The mother of the boy Natalia stroking the cheek of his little child.

“He’s very brave.”

The mother gave birth to her son in an ambulance in Kiev. The baby was underheated and unable to eat. Mom was already afraid of the worst.

Now he is happy with his eyes when Makaryi has received treatment and is sleeping peacefully in the bar. The boy seems to be surviving even though he came into the world in the midst of the bombing.

“I was very worried about my children in Kiev when I heard the horrible sounds of the explosions. I felt helpless and could not believe that the Russian invasion would begin. ”

Natalia wants to stay with her family in Ukraine because this is her country.

“Here in Lviv, we have no worries. We are now safe and alive. We have it all. ”

In the next room in the hospital room fresh mother Eugenia says she gave birth Alinatwo days after the Russian invasion began. Eugenia fled the fighting in Kiev. According to her, the premature birth was due to the war, as the pregnancy had progressed normally until the attack.

“Children who survive the war are able to do anything,” he says.

When the war ends one day and the Ukrainians can return to their homes – if they have not been bombed – the war is not over for the children. Studies have found that children who have experienced war have a higher risk of developing mental disorders later on. Many children of the war have since suffered from depression and anxiety, among other things.

“I can’t say about the future. But I know that Alina is a tough fighter. ”

In western Ukraine in Lviv, the war has not been seen as a diligent preparation for war. There was no shortage of care or supplies at the Lviv Children’s Hospital during HS’s visit.

The situation is different in the actual war zones. There, children do not get the help they need.

“Children are born in basements, and the first thing they hear is the sounds of bombing,” the Ukrainian Presidential Office for Humanitarian Aid Tetiana Lomakina said Newsweekin by.

According to Eugenia, the Russian president is to blame for the suffering of the children as well Vladimir Putin.

“Putin still has to answer for his actions in this world as well as in the afterlife.”

Obstetrician Larysa Hryhorenkon according to the stress caused by the war could jeopardize the birth of the expectant mother.

“Fresh mothers are very sensitive to the sounds of sirens and ready to go to shelter with an emergency bag right away. Of course, they feel responsible for the child, but in a war it can be difficult to protect the child. This causes a feeling of helplessness, ”says Hryhorenko.

Lviv on the outskirts, the school has been turned into a refugee reception center. A six-year-old has fled the Kiev bombings there Lisa Ovchinnikova with their families.

Lisa’s grandmother Below says the first two days after the escape, Lisa just cried. Now, on the third day, the child has been calm.

When the family was leaving Kiev, a nearby one exploded violently. Grandmother protected her grandchild with her body.

“Hopefully this war will end by the end of the week so we can get home. We pray for our soldiers that this will happen, ”says Grandma Alla.

Lisa next to her wants to interfere with Grandma’s speech.

“We also pray for fighting women!” Add more.

Lisa says she misses other grandparents, her home and friends at home. Fortunately, however, the family got a Kex dog with them. Kex conscientiously guards the classroom and barks guests like a decent watchdog.

School manager Irena Zhyk says children may not be able to understand war. Parental fear also infects children, he says.

He tells of an 11-year-old boy who came to the center and was startled badly when he heard the lid of a toilet bowl banging down. The boy went into a protective position as he had been taught. He was afraid of being bombed again.

Volunteers have brought clothes, toys and food to the school through the cat trade, everything refugees may need. Someone has also brought a big bag of Lego blocks.

At school, everyone does whatever they can to help those fleeing the war. In the kitchen, for example, a psychologist helps Natalya Hrebtuk.

“Children who come here are scared, but often adapt to the situation. We advise parents to hug children a lot and tell them that our army is strong and the soldiers are brave, ”says Hrebtuk.