A young man rescued from Crimea after he was close to being forcibly mobilized into the Russian army

A 20-year-old whom the local authorities were trying to force into serving in the Russian army has been removed from currently occupied Crimea as part of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative.

This came in a report posted on Telegram by the head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, seen by Ukrinform.

“He was a 11-year-old child when Russia occupied Crimea.  Since then, he has lived in a world where any manifestation of Ukrainian identity was punishable,” Andriy Yermak said in his post.

The occupying authorities last year began to put pressure on the young man. First, he was summoned to a “medical commission” and then handed an army draft notice. “Police” came to his house, interrogated him, imposed fines and forced him to sign a commitment not to leave.

The young man had to work unofficially to support his family and avoid being mobilized into the Russian army.

A girlfriend who lives in the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government was able to contact specialists from the Ukrainian Network for Children's Rights who helped him escape. Together with volunteers, they managed to organize a complex but successful return operation.

"Today, the guy is safe. He does not hide his emotions when he sees the Ukrainian flag for the first time in nine years, hears his native language and can speak it freely," Yermak noted.

The head of the Presidential Office expressed gratitude to Ukrainian Network for Children's Rights for its help.

As reported by Ukrinform, Ukraine last week returned 23 children and adolescents from territories currently occupied by Russia as part of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative.

Archive photo from Bring Kids Back UA