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SocietyUkraine

Growing up in the crossfire: A teenager's life in Ukraine

Viktoriia Pokatilova | Gönna Ketels
May 16, 2025

Ukraine has been at war for over three years now. How does a young teenager deal with daily life in the capital, Kyiv, under such conditions?

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Anastasiia Kostenko was born in Kyiv. She’s now a teenager, going to school. When the air raid sirens wail, her entire class has to run to a shelter – a routine part of life for young Ukrainians. The war in Ukraine has dragged on for over years now, and peace talks are little talk and no peace.  After leaving school, Anastasiia plans to study chemistry. But she has no plans to leave Ukraine, no matter how much longer the war lasts.   
Our reporters Viktoriia Pokatilova and Gönna Ketels look at life in Ukraine