Watch: Translator Breaks Down As Ukrainian Boy Recounts Mum's Death In Russia Strike

An interpreter broke down in tears while translating an 11-year-old Ukrainian boy's testimony about his mother's death in a Russian missile strike.

Recently, Roman Oleksiv testified at the European Parliament in Brussels of his last moments with his mother before she was killed by Russian forces in central Ukraine in 2022.

“Hello to everybody, my name is Roman, I am 11 years old, I'm from Ukraine, and I'm now living in Lviv,” the interpreter began after Oleksiv introduced himself to the audience.

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In a video shared by AFP, the interpreter can be seen struggling to contain her emotions as the boy began recounting the attack. When she tried to relay his words, she trailed off, apologising:“Sorry, I'm a bit emotional as well.”

The boy bore visible scars on his face and head, including what appeared to be burn marks. One side of his head had no hair, possibly as a result of the airstrike.

The boy added,“I was in Vinnytsia hospital with my mama and the bomb came to this hospital. It was the last time I saw my mom. It was the last time I was able to say goodbye.”

Check out the video below as shared by AFP:

As he spoke, the camera captured another woman in the room quietly shedding tears. The interpreter, visibly distraught, struggled to regain her composure, briefly lowering her head before resuming the translation.

Seeing her difficulty, a colleague off-camera reassured her, saying,“I will help you, no worries,” and provided an English translation of the boy's words. The interpreter wiped her tears with a tissue, remaining quiet for a moment, visibly shaken by the testimony.

The boy also appeared emotional, his breaths heavy and laboured. The interpreter gently placed her hand on his shoulder and nodded for him to continue, offering silent support as she helped him share his story.

Roman Oleksiv has become a symbol of the carnage of the war in Ukraine, which began when Russia invaded the smaller country in February 2022.

Following the devastating strike, Oleksiv met with the Pope Francis three times as part of the“Alliance Unbroken Kids” before the leader of the Catholic Church's death.

Oleksiv, an aspiring ballroom dancer, had to undergo multiple surgeries after the bombing. He was later featured in an award-winning short film, Romchyk, which was shot by students at Goldsmiths, University of London, the BBC reported. The film was later shown to the Pope during the Vatican's International Summit on Children's Rights, according to the outlet.

Since then, more than one million Russian troops have been killed or injured, while Ukraine has lost between 60,000 and 100,000 troops, with total casualties nearing 400,000, The Guardian reported in June.

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