Four Ukrainian children brought back from occupation; brothers persecuted over relatives in Ukrainian forces
Four children and teenagers have been returned from Russian-occupied territories to government-controlled Ukraine, including brothers whose family was persecuted because relatives serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Under the Ukrainian government-led initiative "Bring Kids Back UA," four children and teenagers have been evacuated from temporarily occupied territories and reunited with their families after prolonged separation.
Among those rescued are 9-year-old Bohdan and 14-year-old Artem, who lived with their mother and grandfather under constant pressure from occupation authorities. Their family was persecuted because some relatives serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The boys spent most of their lives under occupation and barely remember life without fear. When leaving, the family took their dog Lucky, who had been an important source of support for the children. Relatives welcomed them upon arrival in government-controlled Ukraine after a long separation.
Seventeen-year-old Mariia and her mother were also brought back from occupied territory. Since the start of the full-scale war, they had lived in isolation, and the teenager had been deprived of normal social interaction for more than four years. The family hesitated for a long time but ultimately concluded they could not delay any longer. Mariia dreams of completing her education at a Ukrainian school and enrolling at university. After years apart, she reunited with her grandfather, who had remained in government-controlled Ukraine.
Another rescued teenager is 16-year-old Serhii, who returned with his mother. The family spent almost a year preparing for evacuation. One of the main reasons was the mother's fear that her son could be forcibly conscripted into Russian forces once he turned 18. A safe route was developed for them to leave the occupied territory.
All families now face a period of adaptation and will receive psychological and social support for reintegration. The evacuation was carried out under the Bring Kids Back UA initiative with support from the Ukrainian Child Rights Network and the volunteer initiative Liudianist. "Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children and young people remain under Russian control. Russia is systematically creating conditions that restrict freedom of choice, increase pressure and make it more difficult to leave. We will not stop until every Ukrainian child returns home," the evacuation organisers said.
