Many families have been torn apart by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin continuing to wage his deadly war in the country. That is the case for young Ukrainian siblings Kateryna and Vadym, who fled the war-torn country after being told by their parents to leave Ukraine with the fighting showing no signs of ceasing.
The 18-year-old Kateryna and 12-year-old Vadym broke down in tears when talking to Sky News after they arrived in Poland. The emotional siblings were forced to leave their parents behind in Ukraine, who opted to stay and fight the Russian troops.
Kateryna said, "They stay there to defend our country." She said their parents wanted them to go to Poland to escape the war, and now "they are here." Kateryna added that the situation in Ukraine is really bad, and the reality has set in that there is a war in their country.
Children can't do anything in this war
Kateryna then made a stirring appeal that would resonate with other people affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. She said, "Children can't do anything, so I really beg adults to protest in any way to stop this war. To stop this really bad thing in our country."
The pair's long journey did not end in Poland, with the siblings confirming to the British news network that they had arrived safely in Slovakia, where they are now being taken care of by family and friends.
Kateryna and Vadym are among the few lucky ones who have managed to escape Russia's deadly attacks on Ukraine. Sadly, many more Ukrainian children are trapped inside the country who are falling victim to Russia's aggression.
Ukrainian authorities reported that two wounded children died when ambulances that were supposed to evacuate them from Bucha to Kyiv could not break through Russian fire. Their deaths come after three children succumbed to injuries following the shelling by Russian forces of a village south of Kyiv.
Sick Ukrainian children add war to their problems
Also affected by this conflict are sick Ukrainian children, who are forced to leave their country to get necessary treatment for their illnesses. That was the case for around a dozen Ukrainian kids, who managed to reach Poland via train with a makeshift hospital ward set up on board.
Heartbreaking images showed mothers sitting alongside their chronically-ill children in the train wagon, which was adapted by authorities for medical transport. The sick children were treated at a hospital in Kharkiv before the Russian invasion. Kharkiv has been heavily targeted by Vladimir Putin's army, with buildings including hospitals shelled by Russian troops as they look to capture one of Ukraine's largest cities.
Fortunately for them, they were able to escape the bombings with the children and their families whisked away to the city of Przemysl in Poland on Thursday. The civilian death toll continues to rise, though, with Putin's Russian forces now attacking residential areas to force Ukraine's surrender.
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