Two teenagers were successfully brought back from the temporarily 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 two more teenagers — Uliana* and Iryna* — to Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Uliana lived in the temporarily occupied part of the Donetsk region and wanted to leave for Ukrainian-controlled territory. She contacted Helping to Leave for assistance with organizing her return.

The team helped prepare a safe route and supported Uliana throughout the journey. Along the way, she met another girl who was also returning to Ukraine. They decided to continue the journey together and successfully crossed the border.

Today, Uliana is already in Ukrainian-controlled territory and is planning her future here.

Iryna lived in the Zaporizhzhia region with her grandmother. They decided to leave the temporarily occupied territory, but while crossing the humanitarian corridor, Iryna was not allowed through because she did not have a Ukrainian passport.

She then contacted Helping to Leave for assistance with obtaining the necessary documents. Together with her grandmother, Iryna returned to Minsk, where she received a certificate for return to Ukraine and was then able to successfully cross the border.

Iryna is now in Ukrainian-controlled territory. She is restoring her documents and planning her next steps at home.

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.

*All names have been changed for security reasons.