Ukraine brings home 22 more children from Russian-occupied territories

Another group of 22 Ukrainian children and teenagers has been brought back from Russian-occupied territories under President Volodymyr Zelensky’s initiative Bring Kids Back UA.

Head of the Office of the President Andrii Yermak announced this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

According to Yermak, among those rescued is a 10-year-old boy who was forced to study under the Russian curriculum and threatened with being sent to Crimea for “examination” with a fabricated psychiatric diagnosis.

Also returned were a 16-year-old teenager and his younger brother, whose family faced persecution in their village for refusing to take Russian passports or work in the school seized by occupying forces.

A 14-year-old girl was also rescued; she had been constantly humiliated in a Russian school because of her Ukrainian background.

“Today, all the rescued children are safe in Ukrainian-controlled territory. They are receiving psychological support and assistance with documents,” Yermak stressed.

He thanked Save Ukraine, Helping to Leave, the Joint Center for Search and Release Coordination, and all partners for their role in rescuing the children.

As reported, under the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, a group of children aged 4 to 17 was earlier returned from the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson region.

Photo: Bring Kids Back UA