Missing Ukrainian boy from Kherson found serving in Russian army, monitors say

Save Ukraine, a monitoring organization, says it has identified a Ukrainian boy who was listed as missing as a soldier in the Russian army. The boy, Oleksandr Mustiatse, was taken during the Russian occupation of Kherson Oblast. He was included in Ukraine’s registry of missing children.

Monitors say they have now found him wearing a Russian ‘Z’ symbol and posing with a Russian flag. The ‘Z’ has become a widely recognized emblem of Russia’s military operations in Ukraine. The organization did not provide details about when or where the photos were taken, or how the boy ended up in uniform.

The case highlights the fate of Ukrainian children who disappeared after being seized in occupied territories. Save Ukraine, which works on tracking such cases, confirmed his identification without disclosing his current location.

The discovery raises questions about the treatment and possible military recruitment of Ukrainian children in areas under Russian control. However, the available information only confirms that Mustiatse, a boy from Kherson Oblast, was previously listed as missing and is now identified as a Russian soldier. No further details have been provided.