Interpreter breaks down in tears translating Ukrainian boy reliving last moments with his mum

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A translator in the European Parliament began weeping while recounting the story of an 11-year-old Ukrainian boy whose mum died in a Russian missile strike.

Roman Oleksiv was just seven when he and his mother went for a medical checkup at Vinnytsya, far from the frontlines of the war, on July 14, 2022.

A Russian warship in the Black Sea fired three cruise missiles into the city, killing his mother, Halyna, and leaving him with burns across his body.

He suffered 45% internal and 35% external burns, broken arms, severed muscles and several shrapnel wounds. His mum died instantly.

‘I saw her under the debris, and I could see her hair,’ Roman recalled. ‘I was able to tou