In a Kyiv hospital basement turned wartime refuge, 42-year-old Eva cradles her youngest child while humming a lullaby. She's among 400 residents sheltering at Shalimov National Institute of Surgery and Transplantology as geopolitical tensions reshape civilian life.
\"We've slept four nights on these gym mats,\" Eva told our correspondent, gesturing to her school-aged children playing cards nearby. \"The explosions sound farther today – a small mercy.\"
Medical staff confirm the facility now hosts three generations of families, with limited electricity and food supplies arriving through volunteer networks. Portable charging stations line hallway corners where teenagers cluster around smartphones.
New WHO data shows over 15% of Ukraine's healthcare facilities now serve dual civilian-protection roles. A hospital administrator, speaking anonymously, noted: \"Our maternity ward continues deliveries even as we stockpile emergency generators.\"
The shelter's improvised community reflects Ukraine's resilience – children's drawings adorn X-ray viewing boxes while retirees organize literacy lessons. Yet Eva's voice tightens discussing winter fuel shortages: \"How long can we live like this? The world mustn't look away.\"
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
