Fear of War... 8-Year-Old Ukrainian Girl with White Hair

8 Million Ukrainian Refugees Flee... 40% Are Children
"Psychological Harm to Children Affected by War Must Not Be Underestimated"

An 8-year-old girl, Christiana, began to develop white hair due to the stress of war. Photo by Save the Children

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Park] "Now, an 8-year-old child's hair has turned white from the stress of war. I don't speak to her about it, but every time I tie her hair, tears just burst out."

Oksana (a pseudonym) from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, opened up about the war stress her daughter Kristiana (8) is experiencing. Kristiana and her family had to endure more than five hours of relentless bombings like rain in an underground shelter in Bucha, Ukraine, last winter. Oksana said, "Such young children had to witness those (bombing) scenes," adding, "It was terrifying to sit in a basement where we might be buried alive if the house collapsed. In moments like that, no matter what happens to me, I worry about the children."

On the 19th, the international child rights NGO Save the Children released photos and stories documenting the lives of Ukrainian children and their families, calling for attention to their plight.

Nine-year-old girl Masha (a pseudonym) wishes for peace this Christmas. After the Kyiv airstrike in June, Masha and her family fled and settled in a coastal town in the UK, but Masha's father remains in Kyiv. Masha said, "My dad always said everything I draw becomes reality," and added, "I draw pictures hoping our whole family can be together. I hope we can all go to the beach next summer."

According to Save the Children, about 8 million Ukrainian refugees have fled to European countries since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with an estimated 40% being children.

Sonia Kush, head of Save the Children's Ukraine office, said, "For nearly 10 months, children have witnessed their homes and schools being attacked and experienced their families and friends being scattered. The psychological damage from experiencing war must never be underestimated." She emphasized, "To enhance children's resilience, appropriate support must be provided so that children themselves can talk about and manage their fears."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.