Hidden Ukrainian Children... UNICEF "Negative Impact on Mental Health"

As it marks two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, it has been revealed that children living in frontline cities in Ukraine have been hiding in basements or bunkers for up to seven months. Concerns have been raised that such conditions could have a negative impact on children's mental health.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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On the 23rd (local time), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) stated, "Children in frontline cities are estimated to have spent approximately 3,000 to 5,000 hours (4 to 7 months) underground to avoid air raids."

UNICEF noted, "Spending extended periods in shelters to avoid missile and drone attacks has had a very detrimental effect on the mental health of these children," adding, "According to our survey, half of Ukrainian adolescents aged 13 to 15 suffer from sleep disorders, and one in five shows symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder."

As the war prolongs, problems caused by educational gaps are worsening. Combining the periods during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020?2021 and since the Russian invasion in February 2022 until recently, children in frontline cities have attended school for only about one week over four years.

UNICEF explained, "Out of 700 schools in Kharkiv, a northeastern region, only two are conducting in-person classes," and "the majority of Ukrainian parents who responded to the survey expressed concerns that their children are struggling with socialization."

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