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A group of pediatric cancer patients in Ukraine have been fighting for their lives against their medical diagnosis, but it could be the ongoing war that deals the final blow to their battles.
"I think most of [the children] will become indirect victims of these Russian army attacks, because they will die because of the interruption of treatment, because of infections—and we can do nothing," Dr. Roman Kizyma, a pediatric oncologist at Western Ukrainian Specialized Children's Medical Center, told CBC News.
Over the last 13 days, the eastern city of Lviv—where the children's hospital is located—has received hundreds of young cancer patients who have been forced to flee their hometowns due to safety concerns posed by the barrage of Russian attacks.
One of the ward's newest patients is a 12-year-old girl who told the Canadian outlet that she arrived from the country's capital of Kyiv with 40 other sick children after the city faced tremendous shelling. She has three final chemotherapy sessions remaining and is hoping to complete them after crossing the border into Poland.
Others have been transported to hospitals in eastern Ukraine to free up beds to treat those injured in the war.
Kizyma said his pediatric ward is meant to accommodate 30 patients, but the displacement of many Ukrainians has caused the number of patients in the ward to soar past capacity with more than 100 children.
He said that even in large pediatric facilities, "you cannot face a couple of days of 100 children with cancer and give them appropriate care."
While Lviv has yet to be targeted by missiles, Russian forces have increasingly attacked more health care facilities in recent days.
On Monday, the World Health Organization confirmed another eight attacks on hospitals in Ukraine, bringing the total number of affected facilities to 14.
Ukrainian news agency Interfax has put the figure even higher, claiming that 16 hospitals in the country have been damaged and that six doctors have been killed.
"Attacks on health care violate international law and endanger lives," the WHO said in a statement. "Even in times of conflict, we must protect the sanctity and safety of health care, a fundamental human right."
Attacks on health care facilities are expected to be under investigation by the International Criminal Court, which is based on the Rome Statue that rules it a war crime to target civilian and civilian objects.
Leila Nadya Sadat, special adviser on crimes against humanity to the ICC Prosecutor, previously told Newsweek that while Russia can target Ukraine's military options, those actions are not condoned to settings like urban centers and healthcare facilities.
"[Russia is] intending to subdue a city, so far as we can tell, and once Ukraine starts to fight back, Ukrainian military forces of course become a legitimate target," she said. "Civilian objects—cities, schools hospitals—are not legitimate targets."
About the writer
Katherine Fung is a Newsweek senior reporter based in New York City. She has covered U.S. politics and culture extensively. ... Read more