A harrowing photo of four 18-year-old Ukrainian volunteers has left social media users aghast, bringing home the harsh reality of Russia's ongoing invasion.
The United Nations has said the civilian death toll for Ukraine has surpassed that of the 2014 war, which took place between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces in Eastern Ukraine.
While the two battling countries reached a 'joint understanding' yesterday, March 4, to allow civilians safe passage through humanitarian corridors, not all civilians have fled.
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Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 have been encouraged to fight, and even reportedly banned from leaving the country. An image shared on Twitter of four teenagers preparing for a mere three days of training before having to face Russian forces has since brought home the reality of the escalating situation in Ukraine to those across the globe.
In the image, shared by the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen, four young men can be seen wearing a mixture of cargo pants and joggers, trainers, knee-pads, hats, coats, and clutching sleeping bags and liners.
They also all have yellow tape strapped to an arm.
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Looking more like they are about to go on a camping trip rather than a war, the only signs of their impending face-off with the Russian military is guns they are carrying.
The caption reads: '18 year old Ukrainian volunteers off to war in Kyiv. Three days training and they will be on the front line.'
GB News journalist and presenter Inaya Folarin Iman responded to the image. 'This is heartbreaking,' she wrote.
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Former Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan reflected: 'Three years younger than my youngest son. Can’t even imagine it. Just kids.'
Director and speaker for 'the world's largest technology conference' Web Summit, Yvonne Redmond simply stated: 'Children.'
Ex-military helicopter pilot and reporter for GE Healthcare, Mikey Kay, also commented on the picture. reflecting on how it exemplified the 'brutal' nature of war.
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'War is brutal. It shows you sadness and despair that stays with you forever, no matter how good life might get in the future. If they are extremely lucky, they’ll walk away with their limbs in tact. But mentally, they are likely to be haunted,' he said.
While Kay said he 'admire[s]' the four 18-year-olds, he called their joining of the war 'an unnecessary fight for national survival'. 'The alternative isn’t any better – living under Putin. But the following days, weeks, and months will rely on a lot of luck and organic judgement. Three days training gives them next to nothing,' he said.
Bringing home just how detached those in the West are still from feeling the true impact of the war in Ukraine, Kay stated: 'While just a few hours away from Kyiv, in London, Paris, Madrid, Berlin and other major European capitals, we in the West go about our days pretty much as normal, these young lads will be embarking on a journey with low odds of survival.'
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Kay concluded: 'When people talk of winning in this conflict. No one wins in war. The physical and mental aftermath of what a soldiers or fighter sees isn’t a win, it’s a resounding loss. Everyone loses. And the metrics that define the outcomes, IMHO, is who loses the least.'
If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information
Topics: Russia, Ukraine, World News
