In Frames | Children of war

As the war continues, Ukraine’s children continue to bear the brunt

Children are easy victims of a military conflict. It’s no different in Ukraine’s war-affected areas. Ever since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, the Internet has been flooded with pictures of children, both wounded and displaced, reinforcing the horrors of wars.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Ukraine war has forced more than 4 million people to leave the country, half of them children. “As the number of children fleeing their homes continues to climb, we must remember that every single one of them needs protection, education, safety and support,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 1,179 civilians were killed, including 15 girls, 34 boys and 55 children. Among the 1,860 injured are 34 girls, 26 boys and 74 children.

Ukraine is accusing Russia of deliberately targeting civilians in its population centres, while the Russians say the Ukrainian armed forces and allied far-right paramilitaries are using civilians, even children, as human shields. As the war continues with allegations and counter-allegations, Ukraine’s children continue to bear the brunt with no respite in the offing.