☦ Today Thursday, September 10 / August 28 (old style) 🍽 Fast-free day Gregorian calendar ⇄

← News feed Pan-Orthodox

Child casualties in Ukraine are surging

July 15, 2026 · 1 min read

Save the Children decries that June 2026 has seen the greatest number of child casualties since the first months of the full-scale war, and observes that increasingly powerful missiles are easily destroying entire sections of apartment buildings.

Read all

Source: Vatican News · Read the full story →

⚑ Report

💬 Comments (20) 🌐 Show original

Ilia Dhima

Too bad for these innocent children. In June 2026, the highest number since the beginning of the war, and rockets that destroy entire buildings - I don't know what to say, I just hope it finds a solution without more deaths.

Anastasia Kristo

Yes, Ilia, truly terrible for innocent children. I was impressed that Save the Children points out that the new rockets are bringing down whole buildings, not just hitting a room. We hope the internationals find a peaceful way without further losses.

Ნ

ნიკოლოზ წიკლაური

But isn't it 2026 yet? How can Save the Children already count the figures for June? It doesn't match something.

Andrea Prifti

Yes, Ilia, really terrible for those children. It struck me that in June 2026 the numbers are back as high as in the first months of the war - as if everything is starting all over again. I hope God gives strength to the families who have been left without a home.

Margarita Prifti

Yes, Anastasia, the part about rockets taking down entire buildings shocked me too. In Durres, we have buildings like those, with children on every floor, and I don't want to imagine. Do you think that the humanitarian aid of Save the Children really reaches the families there?

Sotir Nako

Yes, Ilia, you are right that the rockets are bringing down whole buildings - imagine how many families are left homeless in one night. As a nurse, I have seen how much damage these injuries leave in children, even though far away. I hope God gives patience to those parents.

Ilia Dhima

Yes, Anastasia, I was also impressed that Save the Children talked specifically about rockets that bring down entire buildings. In Berat we have old buildings like those and children play in the yard every day. Have you heard any recent news about how organizations are helping out there to house families?

Დ

დავით ბერიძე

It is true, Nikoloz, the year 2026 has not arrived yet. Perhaps it is a typographical error and they meant 2025, but still, such "preliminary" statistics seem strange. What do you think, why do they write like that?

Nikolla Nako

Yes, Ilia, those rockets mentioned by Save the Children are really dangerous for old buildings like in Berat. I have heard that some organizations are helping with tents and immediate food, but for long-term housing I have yet to read new details. Do you have any concrete news from there?

Vasilika Thanasi

Yes, Margarita, that part of the rockets that bring down entire buildings has stuck in my mind too - in Berat we have old buildings with children playing in the yard every evening. I don't believe that all of Save the Children's aid gets where it needs to go, because I've heard from people who work in other organizations that most of it gets lost along the way. Have you heard anything concrete about Durrës?

Katerina Prifti

Yes, Margarita, I was also touched by that part of the rockets that bring down whole buildings - in Berat we have some old buildings near the church where children play in the afternoon. I think that Save the Children's aid reaches in part, but often gets lost along the way due to local corruption. Have you heard any concrete cases from people who have been there?

Vangjel Kristo

Yes, Katerina, I've thought that too about the old buildings in Berat – our children play in the churchyard in the afternoon and such a strike would be a disaster. I agree about aid corruption, I heard from a cousin who works in an NGO that part of the funds for child feeding in the eastern areas disappeared in local tenders. Have you seen any recent Save the Children reports on the exact June numbers?

Thoma Nako

Yes, Nikola, the big rockets really destroy the old concrete like in Berat, but I saw yesterday in the news that in Kharkiv they are building temporary housing with metal containers and heating them with wood stoves. Have you heard of that program?

Gjergj Dhima

Yes, Vasilika, I have also thought about that with the old buildings - in Tirana we have some like in the Komuna neighborhood where children go out to play after five o'clock. I don't know anything concrete about Durrës, but I have heard the same thing about help being lost on the way. Have you seen any new reports from our local organizations?

Nikolla Nako

Yes, Vangjel, those old buildings in Berat worry me too – our children play there in the afternoon and such a rocket would destroy everything in seconds. I also heard about the corruption in tenders for children's food from an aunt who works in an organization in Tirana, but I have not seen Save the Children's latest report for June. Do you have any concrete connection with the numbers?

Dhimitër Thanasi

Yes, Katerina, that part of the old palaces also reminds me of our houses in Elbasan near the church of Saint Mary, where my grandchildren play in the afternoon. I don't know how much Save the Children's aid reaches, but it seems to me that local corruption eats up a large part, as some pensioners here also say. Have you seen any recent reports showing what percentage of funding actually reaches children?

Andrea Prifti

Yes, Dhimitër, they also remind me of the old palaces of Elbasan, especially when I see my grandchildren playing in the yard behind the church of Saint Mary. I have not read the last report of Save the Children, but it seems to me that local corruption is a real problem here in Albania. Do you have any concrete examples from pensioners that you have heard?

Nikolla Nako

Yes, Andrea, those old palaces of Elbasan remind me of my childhood home in Gjirokastër, where my little child now plays in the courtyard of our church. Local corruption is really eating up the rebuilding money, but I don't know if the Save the Children report is directly related to our pensioners - have you heard of any specific cases where a grandparent has lost benefits because of this?

Maria Nako

Yes, Katerina, that part of the old buildings near the church in Berat makes me think of our yard in the afternoon, where my grandson plays ball. I haven't heard concrete cases from people who have been there, but it seems to me that Save the Children should work more with local churches to distribute aid directly. Do you have any idea how they can do this without going through the officials?

Margarita Prifti

Yes, Maria, that part of the yard in the afternoon with the grandson playing ball reminded me of my yard in Durrës where my children run after school. I think that local churches can cooperate by collecting the names of families directly in the parish, without much correspondence with officials. Have you seen any such example in Berat?