13 children and young people were rescued from occupation

Last week, the Save Ukraine team rescued 13 children and young people from the occupation.. This was made possible thanks to the support of partners as part of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative.

All of them endured threats, psychological terror and real danger to their lives. But the worst is now behind them.

Among those rescued:

🔹 13-year-old Andrii, who lived under daily terror: Russian combat drones deliberately hunted civilians in his town. Under the threat of losing parental custody, he was forced to attend a Russian school, where he was subjected to enemy propaganda, made to draw Russian soldiers and required to take ideological tests.

🔹 18-year-old Luka, whose home was seized by Russian soldiers. Under pressure and threats, he was forced to study at an occupation-run school, where teenagers were openly recruited into the Russian army. As soon as he turned 18, despite serious health problems, he received a military call-up notice, with preparations underway to mobilize him.

🔹 13-year-old Nina, whose parents were threatened with violence because they refused to send their daughter to a school that more closely resembled a concentration camp. Children were forced to sing the Russian national anthem every day and wear St. George’s ribbons in an attempt to erase their Ukrainian identity.

For these three children and 10 others, occupation is finally behind them. Today, they are safe. They are receiving reintegration support at the Hope and Recovery centres, including psychological assistance, help with documents and safe accommodation, so they can begin a new life in a free country.

But thousands of Ukrainian children remain under occupation, where Russia is trying to break them psychologically, erase their identity and turn them into weapons. We will not stop until every child is home.

Our sincere thanks to our partners Tatjana Kiel, We Are All Ukrainians, Humanity Funds, and the Joint Centre for Coordination of Search and Release for their support and cooperation. Together, we are bringing Ukrainian children home.