October 2025 - Crossfire Update
Photo: Kevin McCabe - Site of the October 5, 2025 Russian strike on a residential home in Lapaivka, Lviv Oblast
Introduction
In June 2024, the Ukraine Children’s Action Project (UCAP) issued a report, Crossfire! The Impact of Endless War on Ukraine’s Children, developed using reliable available data to outline specifically how the war, approximately 28 months after Russia’s full-scale invasion, was impacting Ukraine’s children.
It has been approximately one year and 4 months since the original report, and the war continues unabated. Unfortunately, the consequences of endless war for Ukrainian children have continued to increase, in fact, at an accelerated rate over the past 3-4 months.
This data is an attempt to shed light on a travesty that is all too common in many corners of the world.
Adults Fight, Children Suffer
This can be seen today, not just in Ukraine, but also in Sudan, the Middle East, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as the most egregiously dangerous places for children. That said, this updated report is focused exclusively on the children of recovery.
Information is referenced and sourced from reputable entities. However, it should be recognized that some data is extremely difficult to unequivocally verify. The report does try to verify data cited via multiple sources.
It is hoped that releasing these numbers will help motivate leaders of nations and international organizations, including direct antagonists in the Ukraine conflict.
Key Data Points
More than 3,000 children have been killed or injured. The last 3 months have been devastating for children, with a significant increase in the rate of injuries to children. In April 2025 alone, 97 children were killed or maimed. [I visited the site in Lviv where a 15-year-old girl and her entire family were killed just 2 days before I got there.]
According to UNICEF, at least 1.5 million Ukrainian children have been psychologically traumatized by the war. [UCAP’s study with our partner in Ukraine confirms part of this data.]
Children in frontline cities have been forced to spend between 3,000-5,000 hours (equivalent to 4-7 months) sheltering since 2/22. Means sheltering at school or in buildings. [I have visited shelters in basements of many schools in Ukraine]
More than 3 million Ukrainian children and youth have had interruptions in education, Many behind academically by 1 – 2 years.
Attacks on schools have more than doubled in 2025 compared to 2024. More than 1,500 schools have been damaged or destroyed.
Between 19,500 and 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russia (A report in The Guardian suggests that it may be as many as 35,000 children) since the full-scale invasion represents one of the painful consequences of the war. Fewer than 1,500 of these kidnapped children have been located and returned. Worth noting that, proportionately, 20,000 would be equivalent to 150,000 American children.
