Another nine Ukrainian children have been safely brought back from Russian-occupied territories, thanks to the efforts of our Save Ukraine team and with the support of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative. This rescue mission was particularly challenging.

🔹 Among those returned is 14-year-old Dmytro. Near his home, Russian forces had installed a machine gun post, which created a constant sense of fear for his family. At school, he was made to sing Russian military songs and participate in defense-related classes that included handling weapons. Some classmates had been taken to military camps in Russia, where they were given basic training.

🔹 Little Kateryna might not have been born at all if her mother hadn’t been forced to obtain Russian documents. Angela (Kateryna’s mother) had a difficult pregnancy and needed a C-section, but without a Russian passport, the hospital refused to admit her. She was also forced to get Russian “citizenship” for her other children to prevent them from being taken to an orphanage.

🔹 Stas was only 9 years old when Russian forces occupied his hometown. Despite the danger, he wasn’t afraid to suggest replacing Russian songs with Ukrainian ones during music lessons. Because of his pro-Ukrainian stance, classmates constantly bullied him, and teachers supported it. FSB agents even came to his home, ransacked the place, and threatened his mother with taking her son away. Still, Stas firmly refused to participate in militarized school activities or sing the Russian anthem. Instead, he took up boxing.

🔹 Milena, who was 16 and pregnant, was brought in for questioning and threatened to be raped and hanged. She was pressured to kneel and apologise to Russia in order to avoid being deported. She was also required to obtain a Russian passport before being admitted to the hospital. Her newborn child was issued a Russian birth certificate.

These stories highlight the horrific conditions many children face in occupied areas — from restrictions on healthcare and education to the pressures of forced assimilation. The goal often appears to be the erasure of national identity and the shaping of children’s views in line with foreign narratives.

To date, our team has helped return 639 children, including 141 orphans, from occupied territories.

We are grateful to @weareallukrainians2022, the Humaniti Foundation, and Reload Love for supporting this effort. We remain committed to bringing back every Ukrainian child still held under occupation.

*Names have been changed for safety reasons.