Ukraine has returned 17 more children from occupation, whom Russians were preparing for mobilization and military training, - Kuleba
Ukraine has repatriated another 17 children and teenagers from the temporarily occupied territories. Among those rescued are young men whom the Russians attempted to register for military service and mobilize into the Russian Armed Forces, as well as a 20-year-old woman who was forced to undergo mandatory military training at a university in the occupied territory.
According to Censor.NET, this was announced by Mykola Kuleba, founder of the charity Save Ukraine. He said that the children’s return was made possible thanks to the support of partners as part of the Ukrainian President’s "Bring Kids Back UA" initiative.
"Each of them has endured threats, pressure, and attempts to erase their identity. But now they are safe," Kuleba emphasized.
Among those rescued was 20-year-old Nastya, whom the occupying authorities forced to undergo mandatory military training at the university. According to Kuleba, the young woman had lived for years under total control and in fear of Chechen soldiers, who checked local residents’ phones and harassed even underage girls.
They also managed to evacuate 18-year-old Viktor. His home was raided because of a pro-Ukrainian message he had posted. After that, he was forced to hide his pro-Ukrainian views, constantly change his whereabouts, and go into hiding to avoid being forcibly registered for military service and subsequently mobilized into the Russian army.
Another person rescued was 18-year-old Stas. According to Kuleba, the young man regularly encountered aggressive behavior by Russian soldiers on the streets and was repeatedly forced to avoid conflicts and overt provocations by the armed occupiers. Authorities at his school tried to draft him into the military, but he managed to escape.
Currently, these three young people, along with 14 other repatriated children, are undergoing rehabilitation at the "Hope and Recovery" centers. There, they receive psychological support, assistance in reissuing documents, and a safe place to live.
Mykola Kuleba emphasized that thousands of Ukrainian children remain in the temporarily occupied territories, where Russian authorities are attempting to strip them of their Ukrainian identity.
The teams from Save Ukraine, the Ukrainian President’s "Bring Kids Back UA" initiative, WeAreAllUkrainians, the "Humanity" Charitable Foundation, and the Joint Center for Coordination of Search and Rescue Operations joined the operation to bring the children home.
According to Kuleba, thanks to the work of Save Ukraine, more than 1,400 Ukrainian children have already been reunited with their families since the organization began its work.
