Russia-Ukraine War: Dad in Tears While Saying Goodbye to Daughter Fleeing to Safety

An emotional moment between a father and his daughter saying goodbye to each other was caught on camera and has gone viral amid the escalating Russia-Ukraine war.

The short clip showed the father planting a kiss on his young daughter's head after he helped her with her beanie as she prepared to board the bus with her mother. The dad then crouched down to his crying child, and he was also in tears. He then hugged his family tightly as they said their goodbyes.

Reports revealed that the father had to stay behind because he had to help defend his country from the invaders. Meanwhile, many families have been torn apart as women, children, and pets flee to neighboring cities in Poland and Moldova for safety.

"Families are being forced to take the agonizing decision to split up," a witness said, per the New York Post. The witness also added that, despite the long tension with the Russians, Ukrainians could not believe that the invasion would actually happen.

Fathers, Sons Can't Leave Ukraine

Shortly before midnight on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, the interior minister of Ukraine confirmed that men between 18 to 60 years old are not allowed to leave the country anymore. The announcement also stated that members of the State Border Guard Service had been instructed to restrict departures from Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared martial law in the wake of Russia's first blow.

Vilma Sugar, a 68-year-old mom, said she couldn't stop shaking after safely crossing the border because her 47-year-old son could not come with them. They have been constantly in touch with her son through mobile phones, but the lines are sometimes bad.

The United Nations said that 137 individuals have died while 316 have been wounded on the first day of the Russia-Ukraine war. In the eastern borders of Ukraine, one man was overheard telling a sibling over the phone that their mother had been hit and her body lies outside their house.

More than 50,000 Ukrainians are now in the safe haven of their neighboring countries, yet an estimated three million are refusing to leave because they want to protect their homes. They will soon need food and other essentials if the invasion turns for the worst. Ukraine's total population is over 40 million.

Prayers from Families in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Sharyn Borodina flew back to her native of North Idaho after living in Ukraine for 20 years. She brought her two daughters with her, but her husband is still in Ukraine.

Before the Russia-Ukraine war, Borodina said that she and her husband had been growing concerned for their safety. The couple is involved in Christian ministry, and her husband has been taking care of 20 families now displaced by the war.

Borodina said that while she and her daughters are safe, her heart is still in pain for the place she calls her home. She appreciates that many prayer vigils are taking place in Idaho and Washington state.