And the white world – no color, no sound, no form, no value, no taste

Wasyl Stus

According to official data, more than 205 children have died since the beginning of the russian invasion of Ukraine. 205 flowers made of children’s albums and school notebooks.

24 February saw the outbreak of a full-scale war between russia and Ukraine (which has actually been dragging on for 8 years). The following day I took our son out of Lviv. I thought that in a few hours I would have nowhere and no one to return to, because the occupiers would physically destroy my country. I was unable to take all the essentials I needed for the journey, there was too little time. I took my sunglasses to cover my tearful eyes.

Today is April 20, my country continues to exist and our soldiers defend our lives and our freedom. I’m still wearing sunglasses, but I don’t cry anymore; the human mind has a capacity to adapt to the new situation and accept it as fact. Mass killings of civilians, including children…

I look at my son, who is safe and I think, is it really possible to accept it and agree with it?

Can the parents survive this? Currently, official data indicate the murder of over 205 children.

Every day this “number” grows

Tereza Barabash