Surviving Tragedy: A Young Survivor's Tale of Loss and Resilience

Mykola thought it was a dream at first. The windows of his home were blown out, and he heard the whistle of a shell landing, followed by an explosion. But as the 10-year-old son of Larisa and Mykola Glushko made his way through the dark towards his mother's room, he realized he was awake. There, he saw his mother lying crushed beneath a collapsed concrete beam.

He remembered something falling. His Mom was calling out, "Kolya, Kolya." He yelled back, "Mom, I'm okay."

He frantically wiped the dust off his face and eyes. He saw his Mom trapped under the ceiling. He tried to move it, but it was too heavy. She was in pain, and he kept yelling, "Mom, it's just a bad dream." Mykola had a similar dream before, and he feared it was happening again. Then everything went dark.

His mother passed away right in front of him. His father was tragically killed by the first explosion. Earlier that day, the family had a barbecue. Mykola senior had one too many beers and spoke excitedly about joining the military. In the darkness, his son stepped outside to find their once cozy home completely destroyed, with the gates ripped off.

The shelled-out home of the Glushko family in Pokrovsk.

The shelled-out home of the Glushko family in Pokrovsk.

Mick Krever/CNN

Mykola was in a state of panic, screaming out to God and wondering why this had happened to him. He found himself running in his underwear, desperately seeking help.

For a 10-year-old like Mykola, surviving such traumatic events goes beyond what is expected. His personal loss is just one part of the widespread suffering that has touched Ukraine during the two years of war. Russian missiles have inexplicably targeted civilian areas, claiming lives that often go unnoticed by the media. The impact on children like Mykola is profound, changing their lives in ways that will be felt for years to come in Ukraine.

Mykola received a dose of medicine to help him relax while in the hospital. His brother then arrived to provide an explanation of the situation. "He informed me that it is just the two of us now," Mykola recounted, his brother repeating this statement four times. Despite trying to keep calm, Mykola couldn't help but feel a sense of self-blame. He regretted not being able to save his mother.

The graves of Larisa and Mykola Glushko in Pokrovsk.

The graves of Larisa and Mykola Glushko in Pokrovsk.

Mick Krever/CNN

He has had a conversation with his godmother, who is his new guardian and lives nearby. It is clear that he has decided to remain in Pokrovsk, the military town, to take care of their graves. He expressed his intention to visit them and apologize for not being able to save them. He also mentioned apologizing to his father for his inability to save his mother.

He mentioned that his current dream is to seek guidance from his parents by asking important questions such as, "What should I do now? How should I live?" Additionally, he expressed another dream of seeking revenge on the individual responsible for launching the missile.

Across the eastern frontline, particularly around Pokrovsk, Russia's advance seems to be speeding up, leading to devastating losses for families like Mykola's. At the remains of his house, neighbors mentioned that there are no military targets nearby. Workers were carefully searching through the debris, while the smell of their family dog's decay lingered in the air. Nearby, on a radio, Russian stations were audible, highlighting how the West is not providing Ukraine with modern equipment, leaving regular Ukrainian soldiers to bear the consequences.

A brief distance away, at a stabilization point in an eastern town, the harsh reality of even minor injuries was evident. As the sun sets, frontline units can safely begin evacuating their wounded, away from the threat of Russian attack drones that are active during daylight hours.

The medical point was in complete darkness when a car suddenly raced out from the night. Two wounded soldiers from Klishchiivka emerged from the car. One of them had his head fully bandaged up and was talking with his arms outstretched as he groped his way forward. The other soldier was laid flat on a gurney.

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CNN witnesses Ukrainian soldiers being treated after blast hits dugout

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They were attended to promptly. Their clothes were carefully removed. One of them had swollen eyes but seemed to be less injured overall. The other had shrapnel in his leg, flesh wounds on his arm, and shrapnel scattered on his back. His face was dirty, and he had difficulty opening his eyes.

A mortar landed close to their dugout, just about four feet (1.2 meters) away. It was pure luck that they were still physically unharmed. The staff quickly helped them clean their eyes.

The doctor asked, "Can you see the light when you open your eyes like this? What about people?" The patient could only see light. A nurse noticed a injury to his right hand. They examined his back and found a cluster of small wounds. Suddenly, the patient's condition deteriorated. "There's something on my side," he screamed.

The force of the blast may have caused internal injuries, prompting the doctors to quickly intervene. An anaesthetic was injected into his lung, and a tube was inserted. The patient was reassured by a doctor, "Cough, and it will get better."

Surrounding them were four empty beds. A year ago, Dr. Ivan mentioned they could handle up to 250 patients a day during the peak of the Russian assault on Bakhmut. However, the decrease in patients does not indicate an improvement in Ukraine's war situation. According to an official, the 93rd mechanized brigade is struggling due to a lack of infantry and difficulties in resupplying and positioning them on the frontline because of the threat of Russian drones. As a result, the stabilization unit is lacking patients, highlighting the ongoing manpower shortage in Kyiv after two years of war.

The patients were led to a waiting ambulance, which left in the pitch black, its headlights off. Russia has targeted medical facilities before.

Editor's P/S:

The article paints a heartbreaking picture of the devastating toll that war takes on innocent lives. Mykola's story is a poignant reminder of the countless children who have been orphaned and traumatized by the conflict in Ukraine. The loss of his parents and the destruction of his home have left an unfillable void in his young life. His dreams of seeking guidance and revenge reflect the complexities of grief and the search for meaning in the face of unimaginable pain.

The article also sheds light on the wider impact of the war on Ukraine's healthcare system. The stabilization point described in the article highlights the challenges faced by medical staff in providing care amidst ongoing conflict. The lack of patients at the unit is a testament to the ongoing manpower shortage and the difficulties in resupplying and positioning troops on the frontline. The targeting of medical facilities by Russian forces adds an additional layer of danger to the already perilous work of frontline medical personnel. The article serves as a reminder of the urgent need for international support to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and to ensure the protection of its civilians and healthcare infrastructure.