It's a global day to celebrate women, but many fleeing Ukraine feel only the stress of finding a new life for their children as husbands, brothers and fathers stay behind to defend their country from Russia's invasion.
The number of refugees fleeing Ukraine reached 2 million on Tuesday, according to the United Nations, the fastest exodus Europe has seen since World War II. One million of them are children, UNICEF spokesman James Elder tweeted, calling it "a dark historical first.""Of course it's hard to travel with a child, but I explained to her that we're going on vacation and that we'll definitely come home one day when the war is over," Shulga said.
That has led to heartbreaking scenes of separation, and growing worry as some encircled, battered parts of Ukraine slip out of reach. In a refugee camp in Moldova, Elena Shapoval apologized for her tears. She doesn't hide them from her two children, one 4 and one 8, while recalling their journey from Odesa. The younger one doesn't understand what's happening, Shapoval said. The older one tries to calm her, saying, `Mom, everything will be all right."'