Ukraine returns 3 more children from occupation

According to Ukrinform, the head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak, reported this in Telegram.

“The young mother, who was forced to leave Ukraine because of the war, lived for a long time separated from her young sons, unable to take them from the TOT on her own. Thanks to the efforts of the rescue mission, the family was reunited, and now the children are safe,” Yermak said.

According to him, the 17-year-old boy was persecuted, interrogated and threatened numerous times because of his pro-Ukrainian stance and support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He is now safe, receiving the necessary support and preparing to study at a Ukrainian educational institution. 

According to Dmytro Lubinets, the Human Rights Ombudsman, a young woman who was forced to leave Ukraine because of the war, was separated from her two young sons, who remained in the temporarily occupied territory in Donetsk region with their biological father.

“She was unable to get her children back on her own, so she turned to our Office. We managed to help her: the children were evacuated from the occupied territory and reunited with their mother. Today, this family is together, safe, and taking the first steps to heal the wounds of war,” Lubinets said.

According to him, the second story of a 17-year-old boy became a symbol of courage.

“In the occupied territory, he supported Ukraine. Because of this, he was persecuted by representatives of the occupation authorities: interrogations, threats, and intimidation became commonplace for the guy. However, neither fear nor pressure broke his spirit. Eventually, he turned to us, and now he is safe, receiving humanitarian and financial support, as well as assistance in processing documents. A new stage of his life awaits him - studying in a free and independent Ukraine,” Lubinets said. 

He urged parents to report this fact to the National Police of Ukraine by calling 102 in case of a missing child. 

“If you are convinced that your child has been deported to Russia or is in the TOT, you should notify us, the Ombudsman's Office, in addition to the police,” Lubinets added. 

Contacts of the Ombudsman's Office: hotline 0 800 50 17 20 - within Ukraine, 044 299 74 08 - for calls from abroad, e-mail address - hotline@ombudsman.gov.ua.

As Ukrinform reported, Yermak said that in 2024, 449 children were returned to the territory controlled by Ukraine.