'Heartbreaking': Ukrainian mother writes details on daughter's back in case she dies

5 April 2022, 12:32 | Updated: 5 April 2022, 13:38

A Ukrainian mother has written family contact details on her two-year-old daughter's back amid concerns they may be separated during the conflict.

The "heartbreaking" picture, shared by mum Sasha Makoviy, has been labelled by some as one of the saddest images to come from the war.

She explained that she wrote the details on the first day of the war as the sound of explosions surrounded her home.

Ms Makoviy even revealed that she had contemplated getting the information tattooed on her daughter so that it would not rub off.

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In an Instagram post, Ms Makoviy said: "I signed Vira in case something happened to us, and someone would pick her up as a survivor.

"In the photo is Vira's back on the first day of the war. I signed it with my hands trembling very much. But why tell you? 

"You already know what it's like to wake up to the deafening and powerful sounds of explosions that can be heard for tens of kilometres. I was shaking for the first hours like you.

"Then an even crazier thought flashed through my mind: 'Why didn't I tattoo her with this information?'"

A second image from Ms Makoviy showed a hand-written card placed in her daughter's coat pocket.

It read her daughter's name - Vira - as well as the name and phone numbers of her parents.

One social media user responded to the images on Twitter, saying: "Heartbreaking. There are no words."

Another person revealed they had taken similar action with their child, writing details on a t-shirt.

A third person tweeted: "What kind of world have we become?"

It comes as Russia is facing more accusations of committing atrocities against Ukraine.

Bodies were seen lining the streets of Bucha in Ukraine, with the invaders having also been accused of rigging the dead with explosives as a booby trap.

The Kremlin has denied being behind the killings, insisting footage was set up.

However, satellite images have shown bodies of Ukrainian civilians scattered across the city from earlier in March, before Russian forces retreated from the area.