"On the last day of July, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, the bloodiest one this year: 300 drones and eight missiles killed 31 people. On the same day, 700km (435 miles) away in a camp near the city of Svalyava in the Carpathian mountains, 30 children are roasting marshmallows. Most of the children live in Kyiv, but for now, they are at the Zefir summer camp."
"Sofia, 15, from Uzhhorod, dresses up for a theatre performance. During the camp's 10 days, there are no air raid alarms, and no one goes to shelters even once. It's the longest period without an alarm or attack for many of these children since March 2022. Many check their phones one extra time this Thursday. Are their families OK? Their friends? It's the Ukrainian couple Tetiana and Alex Svatenkova who welcomed the children to the summer retreat about a week ago."
"Most of them came here because they wanted to do something fun during their summer holiday. But they are also here for another reason: to escape, even briefly, from the intensity of the war. According to Tetiana, who holds a PhD in psychology, the camp provides a much-needed respite for the children. The camp has existed since 2017, and back then, it was held in Kyiv."
A Russian attack on Kyiv at the end of July used 300 drones and eight missiles and killed 31 people. Thirty children, mostly from Kyiv, attended the Zefir summer camp near Svalyava in the Carpathians. The camp ran for 10 days without any air-raid alarms or shelter visits, the longest uninterrupted period for many since March 2022. Daily activities included role-playing, water games, theatre and dance. Organisers Tetiana and Alex Svatenkova relocated the camp from Kyiv after the war began. The camp aims to offer fun, psychological respite and a brief escape from the intensity of the war, with organisers noting changed social skills among children since the conflict started.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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