Picture of building destroyed by missile strike in Lviv, Ukraine. Image from the Human Rights Watch Organization.

While a majority  believed that the Russo-Ukrainian War would be over sooner rather than later, and that it would be a short conflict, the ongoing dispute reveals the opposite. While this war has been going on since 2014, many people first heard of this news after Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022. 

The casualties since the attack of Russia on Ukraine have been said to be at least 10,000 citizens including children and it is thought that almost double the number have been injured.

16-year-old student Marianna Lazarchuk who lives in a village near Lviv, Ukraine, explained that her life drastically changed after said invasion. 

“In the beginning we had only online school because schools had been bombed more often, but now we have shelters [in her school] we can go to,” explained Lazarchuk when painting the picture of her and her classmates’ situation.

The impact that this conflict has had on innocent Ukrainian youth has been not only a physician harm to their schools, but also a harm to their education.

“It is very hard to plan my future now,” expressed Lazarchuk, “I don’t know where to enter next year [for higher education] because I want to go where it will be safe.”

While much support was given to Ukraine in the media and aid by the government, the traction for Ukraine seems to have slowly died down especially in the media. 

Stories like those of Lazarchuk should be heard and acknowledged for students and others across the globe to keep informed of the state of the world currently. Furthermore, with these stories being heard one is able to give their support to Ukraine in various ways such as donating, sharing stories and news and overall informing others of ways they can help. 

Starting this new year, the United States Department of State under the Biden Administration announced a package of up to $200 million worth of equipment and arms for the defense of Ukraine against Russia. Along with this government aid, one is able to create a change by continuing to educate themselves on the topic, as well as possibly aiding financially and showing support for the nation. 

Supporting Ukraine:

https://www.standwithukraine.how/ 

https://war.ukraine.ua/support-ukraine/ 

Sources not linked within writing:

https://ukraine.un.org/en/253322-civilian-deaths-ukraine-war-top-10000-un-says#:~:text=At%20least%2010%2C000%20civilians%2C%20including,Ukraine%20(HRMMU)%20said%20today.  

https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/11/09/ukraine-wars-toll-schools-childrens-future#:~:text=Russia’s%20full%2Dscale%20invasion%20of,are%20attacks%20on%20their%20future.