10 children and teenagers were rescued from russian occupation by the Save Ukraine team last week. This became possible thanks to the support of partners within the framework of the President of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative. Each of them endured pressure, fear, and a real threat to their lives. But today, that is finally behind them. 

Among those rescued: 

🔹 17-year-old Kostya, who sang the Ukrainian national anthem at his occupation-run school. As punishment, teachers publicly humiliated him, while his mother was subjected to a public denunciation. Russian soldiers came to their home for so-called “preventive conversations,” and the school principal called the students “animals” and threatened to forcefully take them away by boat. 

🔹 17-year-old Anton, who was forced by the occupying authorities to obtain a russian passport under the threat of being denied his school diploma. At his occupation-run school, he was also forcibly registered for military service. Russian soldiers regularly came to the school, where instead of receiving a proper education, students were taught how to assemble weapons and were subjected to propaganda. 

🔹 18-year-old Alina, who was unlawfully detained by russian soldiers during armed raids and interrogated for information about the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Because of the occupation, she was forced to completely interrupt her education. Her boyfriend was brutally tortured with electric shocks for a week in a basement after helping civilians. 

For these children, and seven others, occupation is already behind them.  Today, they are undergoing rehabilitation at our Hope and Healing Centers, where they receive psychological support, assistance with obtaining documents, a safe place to live, and everything they need to dream again and build their future. 

However, thousands of children remain trapped in the occupied territories, where they are being forced to forget their roots and are openly being prepared for war. But we will not stop. 

🙏🏻 We are grateful to our partners Wladimir Klitschko, Tatjana Kiel, WeAreAllAkrainians, and the Joint Center for Coordination of Search and Release. Together, we are bringing Ukrainian children home. 

Thanks to Save Ukraine, more than 1,400 children are already home.