Another large group of Ukrainian children were rescued from occupation last week as part of the President of Ukraine's Bring Kids Back UA initiative and with the assistance of Save Ukraine and partners. These children went through psychological pressure and humiliation, but today they are finally safe.
Points of attention
- Ukraine returned 12 children who endured psychological pressure and humiliation in occupied territories through the Bring Kids Back UA initiative.
- The rescued children are undergoing rehabilitation, receiving psychological support, and having their documents restored in Ukraine.
- Stories of survival and resilience emerge as children like Matvey, Ruslan, and Darinka find safety and hope in a free Ukraine after facing terrifying ordeals in the occupied territories.
12 children returned to Ukraine from TOT
17-year-old Matvey miraculously managed to hide from the occupiers that he was not studying at a Russian school, although the military came to their home several times to search it, asking why he still did not have a Russian passport. However, at checkpoints they constantly asked why he was not registered in the military and whether he wanted to sign a contract to serve in their army.
12-year-old Ruslan and his mother also managed to remain unnoticed by the Russian military for three years, avoiding searches and inspections. And despite frequent power outages and internet outages, the boy managed to study at a Ukrainian online school.
Problems arose in the family when the mother's health deteriorated and she had to go to the hospital, and without Russian documents it is simply impossible to get medical care in the occupation. In addition, the occupiers began to go around the yards and check whether all the children were going to school. So the woman decided not to wait for a knock on the door, but turned for help.
The father of 16-year-old Artur and 9-year-old Kamila is in Russian captivity. He was taken by armed special forces who burst into the house in the middle of the night on a tip-off. The occupiers woke up the whole family: the parents were laid face down on the floor, and the children were taken to the next room. However, the children clearly heard how their father was thrown with all his might. And when the man was taken to the basement, they pointed machine guns at the children.
And a few days later, my mother was returned her father's things, all covered in blood and burned by electricity. Seeing the clothes, Arthur concluded that his father had been tortured in the electric chair. After that incident, my mother almost never let the children out of the house, because the family was under surveillance.
Darinka’s mother was also kidnapped by the Russians right outside her house and held captive for almost a month and tortured with electric shocks. And this was only because she helped her friends evacuate their children. And when the woman was released, she was put on the “black list,” so she did not dare to leave the occupation on her own for a long time.
Fortunately, today these children are finally safe in a free Ukraine. They are undergoing rehabilitation, receiving psychological help, restoring their documents, and are able to study again and make plans for the future. Some of these children were able to hug their loved ones after years of separation.
To learn more about Russia's abduction of Ukrainian children, watch the documentary "Damaged Childhood," created by Ukrainian independent media and video production company Online.UA:
