Seven-year-old Nastya Buryk died this week. Her life was short, with precious little peace or comfort. The brutal and unexpected way in which it ended, 1,000 miles from home, reflects a world swept by wars in which the innocent suffer most.
Nastya came from Odesa, Ukraine's largely Russian-speaking port on the Black Sea. In early 2022, the city came under regular missile attack after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Nastya's family life began to unravel fast. Her father Artem joined the Ukrainian army to defend his country.
He became, and remains, a soldier of the elite 95th Airborne Assault Brigade.
Though battered, Odesa endured. But that summer, Nastya was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a rare cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.
