Video of Newborn Experiencing First Air Raid in Ukraine Goes Viral

Footage of a two-day-old baby napping through his first air raid in Ukraine has shocked and saddened Reddit readers, and the father who posted it has told Newsweek of his fear that day.

The original poster, u/izoxUA, shared the eerie video on Reddit's Oddly Terrifying channel, documenting his son sleeping peacefully at a maternity center in the capital, Kyiv.

The clip, posted by the baby's father, begins with the wail of an air raid siren sparked by a Russian jet.

Amid the chaos unfolding outside, baby Roman remains in a deep sleep, seemingly unaware of the events that his father was "disturbed" by.

The Redditor, who prefers to remain anonymous, told Newsweek that he initially filmed the video for his parents, but decided to share "this bizarre world" for others to see on the website.

After shooting the first minute of the air alert, he took Roman away from the window for fear it may smash and sought safety in the improvised bomb shelter.

The father gave more context behind the video and told Newsweek: "Alerts became part of our lives in Ukraine, but we were expecting a big Russian attack and hearing this sound—especially after the Russians hit the biggest hospital for kids in Kyiv—I felt some kind of fear that day."

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalated in February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, leading to widespread fighting and fatalities.

The war has caused a severe humanitarian crisis and continues to reshape the political and security landscape across Europe.

Hundreds of comments were left on the post—which has received over 8,000 upvotes at the time of writing—with other Reddit users sending love from countries like Brazil, the U.K. and New Zealand.

Many were horrified by the family's reality of living in Ukraine and one Redditor shared the moment when they first heard an air raid: "I was holding my 3-month-old while my husband held our 18-month-old in our bomb shelter. I still wake hearing them sometimes."

Another user commented on their experiences in the 80s: "Growing up in Germany, we weren't allowed to play outside because of the threats to our safety. I remember the various alarms going off. Luckily, the only alarm my children know is for weather or amber alerts. I pray for a time when this is all a distant memory, worldwide."

Newsweek spoke to a psychotherapist with extensive experience in addressing the mental health challenges faced by children affected by trauma.

Kristie Tse, the founder of Uncover Mental Health Counseling, noted that the psychological effect of war profoundly impacts children "in ways we may not fully comprehend."

Commenting on the Redditor's video, she told Newsweek: "Witnessing a baby sleep through an air raid in Ukraine is a striking testament to the innocence of childhood amid chaos."

She explained that each child will process their experiences differently, and while some appear to recover quickly, others will struggle in silence.

To support children who have been through trauma, Tse said it's "vital" to give them the space to express how they're feeling to ensure they feel heard and supported.

"In these moments, we can offer them pathways to healing, helping them reclaim their childhood amid the turmoil," she told Newsweek.

User u/izoxUA was surprised by the "warm" reaction to his video and told Newsweek: "I didn't expect so many kind words. Some people wrote direct messages with wishes of all best to my family and especially little Roma."

A bleak comment which appeared at the top of the father's post read: "At this point I have the same reaction to the raid alerts as your son," to which he replied: "And I don't blame him, [a] good nap is always better than monitoring what [the] Russians did this time."

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