War in Ukraine: Soldiers freeze sperm – and send message to Russia

Politics

For many couples, planning a child is a normal part of their life Relationship. Shared dreams, a future, having a family. But for many Ukrainian soldiers, that dream has become a long way off when Russia invaded their country.

Numerous Men volunteered to fight – many of them died. Their relatives, their partners, often already pregnant, stayed behind. This Kinder will have to grow up without their father. However, some will not remain siblings.

A Ukrainian soldier greets his family.Image: dpa / Carol Guzy

Because hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers froze their sperm before going into battle, like the “New York Times” reported. Others returned to their families for a short break, during which time they froze their semen before returning to battle, hoping that their partners would still be able to raise families even if they were at war die. This is also intended to send an important message to Russia.

Sperm to send message to Russia

However, the idea of ​​freezing sperm during war is not new. During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, several companies offered this service to American troops free of charge. In Israel they even fought for a law that would allow the families of the fallen soldiers to collect the sperm from the Body to use a dead soldier for reproduction.

Critics in Israel call this approach “planned orphanage”. Because the child would grow up without a father. For many Ukrainians, however, the idea of ​​saving the soldiers’ sperm is as personal as it is patriotic. Because on the one hand it helps the men who want to make sure that something of them stays and possibly gives comfort to their partners. And on the other hand, it offers your country another opportunity to fight back. In this way the bloodline can be preserved.

The sperm is frozen at around minus 200 degrees in the laboratory.Bild: imago / Rolf Kremming

Apparently, this message has already had an effect and has reached Russia. Pro-Kremlin journalist Olga Skabeeva recently said on state television that freezing soldiers’ sperm is tantamount to “genetic experiments aimed at building a nation.”

She warned: “Using artificial selection, an entire army of selected Ukrainians is being bred with an elevated level of Russophobia.”

However, the idea of ​​freezing semen has caught on to the point that the bill has been debated in Parliament. The sperm should be able to be frozen at the expense of the state. Several clinics are already offering the service free of charge at their own expense.