The word war is synonymous with pain. Seven out of ten people asked what hurts them the most, and they mentioned the death of children. It’s a big wound in the soul of the Ukrainian nation.

Since the beginning of the russian war, 346 kids have died, including newborns and babies.

They died under the ruins, were ruthlessly struck down in their cars during their escape, and some were brutally raped and tortured. 

Does being Ukrainian mean guilty and deserving of death?

russists did not look at the age of children; they saw Ukrainians, who they hated with all their hearts. Those kids paid the price for being Ukrainian, for carrying Ukrainian genes.

According to statistics, there are at least two children killed in Ukraine every day.

Two innocent lives are taken daily. These kids could have been doctors and saved thousands of lives or economists to help the world deal with poverty. They could have become scientists to discover new breakthroughs, like cancer treatments, or just kind individuals spreading more love and mercy.

Some die in their sleep, like the kids in Odessa who were bombed at 5:30 a.m. strike.

Others suffer from the deadly airstrike while doing some shopping, like the Kremenchuk mall bombing victims.

Sometimes, it’s hard to believe that kids die this way in the 21st century when everyone counts calories and drinks lactose-free milk.

The War Stole Ukrainian Kids’ Childhood

In 2022, Ukrainians’ lives were turned upside down, but the worst part is that millions lost their childhoods.

Regardless of age, they understand the threat of an airstrike and silently head to the basement without a word. 

 Kids know an alarm is a sign of death, so they run. This sound has deeply penetrated their consciousness, and they will carry it throughout their lives.  

Their perception of sound will change after this war. It won’t be fun for kids to hear thunder. As their minds will go back to the horrific events when the airstrikes destroyed buildings and people died. 

Our kids won’t enjoy fireworks anymore. Since they won’t be regarded as joyous sounds but as sounds of enemies coming to their homes.

A stolen childhood costs a lot because it leaves a psychological scar. 

Sometimes, it seems that children don’t understand the seriousness of the situation. So instead, they play, laugh, and act like they always do.

 Their eyes change when they hear the first sounds of the alarm. Seriousness replaces playfulness. Their eyesight is sometimes too serious for their young age.

Personal Experience

Kids refugees, who come from Ukrainian territories occupied by russian troops, are a common topic. 

I recently talked to an 8-year-old refugee from Severodonetsk. Of course, being a kid, she didn’t understand etiquette, presuming the discussion of general topics at the beginning.

 Her sad eyes met mine, and she said: “Our home was bombed… Grandma left there because our uncle is mentally disabled. She has been living in the basement for two months without food”.

It was a 2-minute talk that left me speechless. Nothing can be said when you stare into beautiful but too-serious-for-the-age eyes…

Crying isn’t polite. That’s why you keep quiet; the wound inside becomes as big as the planet, and every cell in your body hurts.

 I think it’s a feeling when your soul aches. 

Ukrainian children will understand the cost of freedom.

There is a Ukrainian verse starting with the line, “You should live through everything you face in your life.”

War brought new shades of meaning to it. Kids in Ukraine will go through everything, the war will scar their souls, and they’ll remember that it’s the worst thing that’s ever happened.

Having this understanding will remind them to respect the great deeds of Ukrainian warriors protecting their homeland today and the ruthlessness of russians.

Ukrainians will never fall again for the old russian trick of being “brotherly” nations.

Our kids will learn to appreciate every breath of fresh and free air. They will understand the cost of their freedom.

This understanding slightly relieves the bleeding wound inside. The deaths of our kids have snipped all our ties with russia. We’ll never forget and never forgive them.

Those deaths will always hurt the most and remind Ukrainians of the price of independence.