“I Want to Be a Sapper”: The Story of Ivan
Ivan’s story is similar to those of thousands of Ukrainian children suffering from Russia’s war in Ukraine. Fear, pain, confusion, days spent in basements, lack of food and water, injuries, and difficult evacuations—this is what childhood looks like now for many Ukrainian children. Yet his views are already mature and thoughtful.
Born in Russia, Ivan considers himself Ukrainian, as he lives with his foster family in Lysychansk, in the Luhansk region. The family is large and close-knit: eight boys and four girls. Ivan speaks Ukrainian, though sometimes it can be challenging for him.
Forty days of childhood that should have been spent at school, in the yard with friends, at sports clubs, laughing, and having adventures.
Ivan remembers the military aircraft, the sounds of explosions, and most acutely—the shell that exploded in their yard. Now he is safe. His days increasingly resemble those of a normal childhood, filled with games, smiles, friends, and family.
When asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Ivan confidently answers, “I want to be a sapper. First, I’ll join the cadets, and then I’ll become a sapper.”
It seems that children’s thoughts can’t be as serious and reflective—but they can. In war, children grow up very fast.
Read Olena Rozvadovska’s article “Mine Danger: How to Protect a Child from Sudden Death” here.