One child was rescued from the temporarily occupied territory

As part of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, the Ukrainian Child Rights Network and Humanity Funds helped Mark* leave the occupied territory and reunite with his mother after a prolonged separation.

Mark had previously lived with his mother. However, his father, who lived separately, later took him to another region of Ukraine. After Russia launched its full-scale invasion, the settlement where Mark was staying came under Russian occupation, and his mother had no way to bring her son back.

Later, the woman learned from Mark that his father was physically abusing him and failing to provide proper care. While under occupation, the boy was also forced to obtain a Russian passport.

Realizing that her son needed to be taken to safety as soon as possible, his mother contacted the Ukrainian Child Rights Network for help.

However, another obstacle arose on the way to Ukraine: in Belarus, the police detained Mark because his father had reported him missing. The boy was placed in a social care centre, from which he could only be released into the custody of one of his parents.

To reunite them, we helped his mother urgently obtain a passport for travelling abroad and make the journey to her son. After a prolonged separation, they were finally reunited and later returned together to Ukrainian-controlled territory.

The road ahead involves recovery from what he has experienced, adaptation and gradually rebuilding their relationship. Specialists from the Ukrainian Child Rights Network will continue to support the family and provide the assistance they need.

We thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Joint Centre for Coordination of Search and Release for their assistance and support in bringing Mark back.

*Name changed for security reasons.

Mark’s return was made possible by the Federal Government of Germany as part of the “JOFU: Joining Forces for Child Protection in Ukraine” project, implemented by the Ukrainian Child Rights Network in partnership with the Joining Forces consortium and funded by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.