Ukrainian child interrupts NBC News broadcast from refugee camp

‘It is joyful to see a child who is smiling and at least having a little fun’

A Ukrainian child who interrupted a live news broadcast was described as “the best interruption of a live shot I’ve ever had” by Ellison Barber, a news correspondent for NBC and MSNBC.

Ms Barber and MSNBC were broadcasting live from Poland’s border with Ukraine on Sunday when she was ambushed by a small Ukrainian child in a woolly hat and purple coloured coat, who was frolicking with a soft orange football.

The child, who Ms Barber tweeted was “the best interruption of a live shot I’ve ever had on MSNBC”, smiled and followed the reporter throughout her minutes-long segment on the conditions for Ukrainians fleeing their war-torn home.

“We’ve spoken to some people here today who told us they left now because they were trying to really wait until the very last minute,” said Ms Barber while speaking from a temporary refugee camp on the border between Poland and Ukraine.

“They did not want to go but then as they talked to their family members and friends outside of Ukraine they convinced them to take their children and come somewhere safe, to Poland, until they can go back”, she said.

Poland has taken almost half of the two million people who have fled Ukraine since Russian forces invaded on 24 February. Many others have entered Hungary, Moldova and neighboring EU countries.

Ms Barber told viewers about how Poland has helped almost a million with many donating essential items such as clothing and food, which have since made their way to the refugee camp seen behind her.

“A lot of families here, a lot of mothers, a lot of children. All of them Chris desperately hoping they can go home soon,” Ms Barber told her MSNBC colleague Chris Jansing, who said: “Amid that desperation, it is joyful to see a child who is smiling and at least having a little fun. I’ll let you go back and play a little more soccer.”

Ms Barber later tweeted: “And play more soccer, we did!”, along with an image of her playing with the child.

As of Sunday night more than 1.7 million people had fled Ukraine, with 1 million crossing into Poland, according to the UN. That figure surpassed two million on Tuesday, with the exodus of people already the largest refugee moment seen in Europe since WWII.

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