This year, 449 children were successfully brought back to Ukraine as part of the President’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative. Among them are five children and their mothers, who recently escaped occupation and are now starting new lives in safety. These life-saving missions were made possible through the unwavering efforts of our partners at Save Ukraine and other dedicated organizations.
Each child’s story highlights the unimaginable challenges Ukrainian families face under occupation:
Fifteen-year-old Trokhym was left alone in an occupied village after Russian forces blocked his mother’s return from Kharkiv, and his father died of illness. Forced to accept Russian documents, he faced mounting pressure to register for military service.
Ksenia refused to collaborate with occupiers and kept her daughter Diana out of Russian schools. Diana continued her Ukrainian education online while Ksenia lived in constant fear of her daughter being taken to a Russian camp.
Yulia and her mother Svitlana were forced to flee after a shell hit their yard. With Ukrainian schools closed and internet access disrupted, Svitlana sought a safe environment for Yulia to continue her education and guitar lessons.
Vladyslava and her daughter Mia left their southern home after repeated raids by Russian soldiers, who interrogated and threatened them due to Vladyslava’s relatives being former Ukrainian military personnel. One raid nearly ended in tragedy.Each story underscores the horrors of war and the urgent need to bring all Ukrainian children home.
Now, these children and their families are safe.