Five children and young people are rescued from the occupied territory

As part of the President of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, the joint efforts of the Helping to Leave team made it possible to return five more children and young people to Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Maksym* is from the Donetsk region. For the past few years, he studied at a university before deciding to leave for Ukrainian-controlled territory.

The Helping to Leave team helped Maksym plan a safe route and arranged accommodation along the way. In Minsk, he obtained a certificate for return to Ukraine and was able to continue his journey home.

Maksym is now in Ukrainian-controlled territory and lives with relatives. He plans to restore his documents and look for a job.

Kostiantyn* lived in the Donetsk region but moved to Russia with his parents before the start of the full-scale invasion. Wanting to return to Ukraine, he contacted Helping to Leave for assistance.

At the Ukrainian Embassy in Minsk, Kostiantyn obtained a certificate for return to Ukraine and was able to reach Ukrainian-controlled territory. Here, he received support with accommodation and began restoring his documents.

Last year, a family from the Kherson region — a mother, two daughters, and a son — also contacted Helping to Leave. They planned to leave the temporarily occupied territory, but preparations for the journey took longer than expected.

During that time, the rules for leaving Russia changed, so the family had to wait several more months to obtain the necessary documents. The Helping to Leave team helped plan the route and supported the family throughout the entire journey, which lasted more than two weeks.

Today, the family is already in Ukrainian-controlled territory and is preparing to move to Europe, where the children’s father is waiting for them.

Every return is a chance to continue education, restore documents, reunite with loved ones, and build a future in Ukraine.

We thank the Joint Center for Coordination of the Search and Release of Prisoners of War, Persons Illegally Deprived of Liberty as a Result of Aggression against Ukraine, for its assistance and cooperation in the return of children.

*Names have been changed for security reasons.