Ukraine’s Lost Generation: War, Isolation, and the Fight for Mental Health
Table of Contents
Despite facing unimaginable hardship, ukrainian youth demonstrate remarkable resilience as conflict reshapes their lives and futures.
The face of war in Ukraine is frequently enough framed by images of soldiers and destroyed cities, but its most profound impact might potentially be on the nation’s young people. For an entire generation, childhoods have been stolen, replaced by the constant threat of violence, displacement, and a deeply uncertain future. Like Bogdan Levchikov, a teenager with “first beard fuzz and a baseball cap,” many are grappling with a reality no young person should ever know.
A Father Lost,a Hometown Destroyed
Bogdan’s story is tragically common.His father, Stanislav, a professional soldier, was killed defending Kharkiv in the early weeks of the Russian invasion in February 2022. His hometown of Balakliia, once a bustling railway hub, is now largely destroyed. Bogdan and his mother, Iryna, were prepared to shelter in a basement, but Iryna’s recent cancer diagnosis and limited mobility forced them to find a safer space within their apartment – a windowless hallway.This precarious existence underscores the constant threat faced by civilians.
The New Normal: Online Learning and Constant Alerts
The war has fundamentally altered the educational landscape for Ukrainian students. Almost a million are now learning exclusively or primarily online, a situation compounded by the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. For nearly six years, the daily lives of young Ukrainians have been largely confined to the digital world – a prolonged “never-ending lockdown.” This isolation is particularly acute in the Kharkiv region, which endures daily attacks, and where over 840 educational institutions have been damaged or destroyed.
Underground Classrooms and the Pursuit of Connection
To mitigate the dangers, the Kharkiv region is pioneering a unique solution: underground schools. These facilities, built to withstand attacks, offer a semblance of normalcy and a safe surroundings for learning. Yevangelina Tuturiko, a 14-year-old student, has been attending one since September. “I think it’s really great because I can talk directly to my classmates again,” she says. The schools, designed to meet nuclear bunker standards, are equipped with heavy armored doors and are considered among the safest shelters in Ukraine, according to school principal Natalia Teplova.
While outdoor sports are prohibited due to ongoing threats, authorities have reopened the city’s Soviet-era swimming pool complex, believing in the therapeutic power of water.”Water and swimming can heal everything,” says swimming instructor Ajuna Morosova, acknowledging the immense stress the children have endured – “First two years of the corona pandemic, then four years of war – the children are going crazy.”
A Mental Health Crisis Looms
The emotional toll of the war is immense.Psychologist Maryna Dudnyk notes, “The war has a huge impact on the emotional state of young people, we all live under stress.” She and her team work tirelessly, often wearing bulletproof vests during play workshops, to help children express their feelings. However,there is a critical shortage of mental health professionals. The government has established 326 “resilience centers” nationwide, with plans to add another 300 in the coming year, but the need far outweighs the resources.
Reports indicate rising rates of fear, insecurity, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts among young Ukrainians. Kostjantyn Kosik, an 18-year-old international law student from the Donetsk region, exemplifies this struggle. Having grown up with the threat of war since the age of six, he experiences tics, fainting spells, and migraines. “I’m constantly nervous, irritable. That’s because of the war,” he explains. While he acknowledges the resilience the conflict has instilled in him,he laments the loss of a normal childhood – “with friends and joy.”
The experiences of Bogdan, Yevangelina, and Kostjantyn represent a generation irrevocably shaped by war, a generation that will require sustained support to heal and rebuild their lives and their nation.
Related reading
