'The fear of dying pushes you to live' - stories from Ukraine's children
#Ukrainian children war #Russia invasion Ukraine #Childhood trauma #Displacement Ukraine #War resilience #Voices of Children #Sky News Ukraine
📌 Key Takeaways
- Ukrainian children have lost their homes, family members, and normal childhood experiences
- The constant fear of death has paradoxically motivated many to live more intensely
- Daily life revolves around air raid alerts, power outages, and online education
- These young people find strength in family, friends, and the hope of a future beyond war
📖 Full Retelling
As Ukraine marks the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion on March 1, 2026, Sky News has partnered with Voices of Children, a Ukrainian charity, to document the personal stories of teenagers whose childhoods have been stolen by war, sharing their experiences of growing up under constant threat in cities across the country including Bakhmut, Kryvyi Rih, Odesa, and Kyiv. These firsthand accounts reveal the profound psychological impact of living with daily air raid alerts, power outages, and the constant fear of losing loved ones, as young Ukrainians navigate an existence where normalcy has been replaced by uncertainty and loss. The stories paint a vivid picture of resilience amid devastation, with teenagers like 17-year-old Oleksandra from Bakhmut who lost her grandfather and home, 14-year-old Marko from Kryvyi Rih who celebrated his birthday in a basement under shelling, 20-year-old Sofia from Odesa whose father was killed on the frontline, and 19-year-old Mariia who no longer knows where her true home is after being displaced multiple times. Despite the overwhelming challenges, these young voices express an extraordinary determination to live fully, to dream of a future beyond war, and to find meaning in their experiences, with many finding strength in family connections, education through online platforms, and the simple act of maintaining friendships in a world where physical contact has become dangerous and rare.
🏷️ Themes
War trauma, Childhood resilience, Displacement and loss, Finding hope in darkness
📚 Related People & Topics
Childhood trauma
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'The fear of dying pushes you to live' - stories from Ukraine's children living through war Childhoods stolen by Russia's invasion of their homeland, the children of Ukraine spoke to Sky News about growing up during the war. Sunday 1 March 2026 01:26, UK 1:26 Share Growing up in war-torn Ukraine Why you can trust Sky News "The fear of dying pushes you to live." As Ukraine marks the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion, Sky News has partnered with Voices of Children , a Ukrainian charity, to tell the stories of teenagers living through war. Oleksandra I am 17. I was born and lived in the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region until the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. Over the past four years, I have moved four times, losing my home and the opportunity to see my peers and friends in person. I have been studying online for four-and-a-half years. During the full-scale invasion, I first lost my grandfather and then my home. On 24 February 2022, the day of the invasion, my family packed our belongings and left for the Rivne region, nearly 700 miles away. My grandfather refused to leave. He wanted to stay in Bakhmut. Some of our extended family members were still there. On 27 March, doctors discovered a blood clot in his leg. My grandfather died in his hometown and is buried there. I was unable to say goodbye to him or go to the funeral. My house has been destroyed, nothing remains but bricks. But in truth, I lost my home the moment my grandfather died. Home is about memories, and memories are about family. Over these four years, I have never truly felt at home anywhere, and sometimes it feels as though that sense of home may never return. The first thing I do when I wake up is check the power outage schedule. Online classes start at 8.45am and end at 3.55pm. Every day begins with the news and ends the same way. Before bed, I check which regions are under air raid alerts. Over time, I've got used to the fact that my peers communicate exclusively via ...
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