Lera is twelve years old and is relearning how to walk. timid steps at first, but growing more assured with each stride.
A Russian missile attack last summer broke one of her legs, severely burning the other.
Since Vladimir Putin began his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, about 2,000 children have suffered injuries or lost their lives there. However, not all wounds from battle are as obvious as the ones that run up Lera’s leg.
According to psychotherapist Kateryna Bazyl, “the war has caused problems for almost every child.” “A shockingly high number of kids are coming to us with various unpleasant symptoms,”
Young people in.Ukraine are dealing with grief, anxiety, and terror. An increasing percentage experience flashbacks, panic attacks, or difficulty falling asleep.
A generation growing up in opposition has also seen a rise in child depression occurrences.
Twelve-year-old Lera Vasilenko from Chernihiv in northern Ukraine
Just moments before it struck, Lera spotted the missile that injured her.
The summer vacation was hot, and Chernihiv’s center was bustling. She was attempting to sell her handmade jewelry to the passing audience along with her friend, Kseniya.
Something was flying from up above to down. Lera blurts out, “I thought it was some kind of plane that would go up again, but it was a missile,” as if she doesn’t want to think about what she’s spoken for too long.
