UNICEF fears voiced for Ukrainian children

Ukrainian children today seem overwhelmed by fear, tears and sorrow, said a spokesman for the United Nations Children's Fund.

"I've seen so many thousands of these children go … husbands and wives farewelling each other, the fathers explaining to the little 7-year-old daughters or 10-year-old sons why they have to leave or why they're being separated," UNICEF spokesman James Elder told China Daily in an interview on Tuesday.

About 1.7 million Ukrainian children have fled their country so far, Elder said.

"We can see a refugee crisis, with Ukraine refugees in the fastest outflow, in terms of speed and scale, unprecedented since World War II and showing no sign of slowing down," said Elder from inside Ukraine.

"This already comes after the trauma of those children being in bunkers and under bombardment, so it's an incredibly dangerous, difficult and sad time for children across the country and for those many, many who have had to flee."

In cities like Mariupol, there is no water supply, no power and heating. "So children's destiny (is being) decided as we speak," Elder said.

"It's a very dark time for those who are trapped, and those in bunkers."

Moreover, scores have been killed and many more injured.

He described the "absolutely harrowing" situation for children in Ukraine, and only an end to the conflict can serve them well.

Risk of separation

Like all children driven from their homes amid war and conflict, Ukrainian children arriving in neighboring countries are at real risk of family separation, violence and trafficking.

"Now, the safest and fastest way out of this catastrophe-indeed the only way out of this catastrophe-is for this war to end, and end now. But until then, attacks in civilian areas and on civilian infrastructure must stop," Elder said.

"They must stop because they're claiming lives. They must stop because they're forcing people to miss out on essential health services, despite catastrophic needs. They must stop for millions of children remaining in areas of conflict in Ukraine."

A UNICEF team in Ukraine has been distributing truck after truck of medical supplies such as surgical, midwifery and obstetrics kits, oxygen generators and concentrators, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene essentials.

"Everything is needed right now," Elder said.

He also said UNICEF operates in neighboring countries where families can get information about support and protection services for those who had to flee.

Yet, "we must be clear, despite all those efforts in Ukraine from volunteers, Ukraine grandmothers to governments, from Ukrainian scouts and teenagers to United Nations agencies, so long as this war continues, the situation of Ukraine's children will only get worse".

"It's truly awful. I don't want to compare crises with everyone: there's Yemen, Syria and Ethiopia,… heartbreaking," Elder said. "But this one is no less, and it's just happening so fast. I haven't met a single Ukrainian who wants to leave their country."