War does not only affect soldiers on the battlefield. It devastates cities, destroys homes, and leaves civilians caught in the middle.
In Ukraine, nearly three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the war has taken a heavy toll on families.
Many children have lost their parents, while others have been separated due to economic hardship or displacement.
Orphanages across the country are struggling to care for them. At the same time, more Ukrainian families are stepping forward to adopt and provide them with a home.
More Want to Adopt
Reports indicate that the number of Ukrainian couples interested in adoption has doubled since the war began.
Among them are Katia and Volodymyr, who are determined to give a child a loving family, according to Digi24.
Natalia Lyakh, director of an orphanage in the Poltava region, described the difficult conditions the children endure.
"There are children up to two years old here. Others are between three and six," she said.
Many of these children have been placed in state care because their families were struggling with addiction or financial problems caused by the war. To keep them safe from air raids, they often sleep underground in shelters.
For Katia and Volodymyr, adoption is more than just expanding their family.
"To give even one of these children a better life is why we decided to adopt," Lyakh explained.
The couple, who already have an 11-year-old daughter, are open to welcoming a younger sibling into their home.
The war has made the adoption process more complicated.
The couple’s hometown, Bucha, was occupied in the early days of the invasion and became known for Russian war crimes.
Katia recalled the horrors her community endured.
"This is the church where civilians were buried in a mass grave. They were shot by Russians. Now, people here have learned to always be prepared," she said.
