Ukraine brings back 8 children from Russian-occupied territories

Eight children and teenagers have been rescued from Russian occupation over the past week, Save Ukraine, a Ukrainian humanitarian NGO, announced on April 2.

"Yet thousands of children remain under occupation. There, they are forced to stay silent, to conform, and are being prepared for (fighting for Russia in the) war. But we won't stop," the organization's founder, Mykola Kuleba, said.

He did not specify which Russian-held Ukrainian territories the children were brought back from.

Among the rescued children is 14-year-old Zoriana, who was separated from her father by Russian forces. Her father was illegally stripped of his documents and deported, accused of being a threat to Russia's security.

According to Kuleba, the girl was forced to attend a Russian school, where children were told about Russia's "greatness" and taught how to use weapons.

Seventeen-year-old Hlib was also a hostage to Russian militarization at school. Students were told that Russia had "liberated" them and were shown grenades and weapons, while Russian military personnel often visited the classrooms.

"The boy could not dream of any future under such conditions, so he sought ways to escape," Kuleba said.

Another teenager rescued is 17-year-old Sasha, whose home was raided by armed Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agents who came to inspect and search the premises. After that, Sasha barely left the house, as he knew he would be forced to fight for Russia as soon as he turned of age.

Kuleba said that all children are now staying at healing centers, where they receive psychological support, assistance with documents, and housing.

He added that 1,200 Ukrainian children are already back home, but thousands of Ukrainian children are still trapped.

According to Ukraine's national "Children of War" database, at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted from Russian-occupied territories and taken to Russia or Russian-controlled areas since February 2022. Some 1.6 million remain under Russian occupation, according to Bring Kids Back UA.

Ukrainian officials estimate the real figure of abducted children could be far higher. Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets puts the number at up to 150,000, while Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Daria Herasymchuk has given a range of 200,000–300,000.

Despite multinational efforts from allies to rescue the children, some of whom have been forcibly sent to North Korea, only 2,003 have been returned to Ukraine.

In 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia's Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova for their role in state-sanctioned child abductions.

Elsewhere, at least 684 children have been killed and 2,369 wounded during Russia's full-scale invasion.