MARIUPOL, Ukraine—In All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque wrote: “A hospital alone shows what war is.”
The hospital here is no exception.
The faces of soldiers, both young and old, recovering from wounds and sickness incurred on the front lines—located only eight miles away from here—speak to the innumerable contradictions of war.
Some are smiling and joking, enjoying the camaraderie of being in open-bay recovery rooms with up to six of their comrades. They sing patriotic Ukrainian songs like they’re in the stands at a soccer game.
Yet others, even while surrounded by fellow soldiers, stare ahead numbly, eyes fixed on …read more
Source: Newsweek
