A large group of 23 Ukrainian children and teenagers has been successfully rescued from Russian-occupied territories by the Save Ukraine team. We are deeply grateful to Wolodymyr Klitschko, Tatjana Kiel from WeAreAllUkrainians, the Humanity Foundation, and the Joint Center for Coordination of Search and Release for making this mission possible.

For nearly four years, these children lived under constant oppression, surveillance, and the threat of permanent separation from their families.

Among those rescued:

🔹 Artem, 19, had been living without parental care even before the full-scale invasion. When his city was occupied, he wanted to flee — but as a minor, he legally couldn’t. To avoid attention at Russian checkpoints, he was forced to obtain a Russian passport. Still, he refused to attend a Russian school, even after access to Ukrainian online education was blocked.

🔹 Karina, 5, and her mother had previously attempted to escape. But Russian forces turned them back after learning that a close relative served in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. They were told they’d only be allowed to leave once the so-called “special military operation” was over. Because of this, they were denied Russian passports — making everyday life on the occupied territory unbearable.

🔹 Ksenia, 14, and Regina, 11, were visited at home by Russian soldiers and a school “principal” who tried to force them into attending a Russian school — located two hours away. Their mother immediately realized it was a trap. Authorities threatened to take the girls away if they refused.

🔹 Taras (16), Oleh (13), and Artur (11) saw their father abducted from their home by Russian troops. He was taken for interrogation and tortured. A week later, the family learned he had survived — but was badly beaten and left with a broken rib. The boys were forced to attend a Russian school, where they were made to sing the Russian national anthem and raise the occupier’s flag. Still, they resisted participating in militarized “patriotic” rituals in every way they could.

Today, all of these children are safe.

At our Hope and Healing Centers, they receive psychological support, legal assistance, housing, and care — everything they need to begin rebuilding their lives and feeling like children again.

So far, Save Ukraine has rescued over 900 children from Russia and occupied territories. But thousands more are still waiting to be saved.

Help us bring them home.