As part of the President of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative and thanks to the tireless efforts of the Ukrainian Child Rights Network, a brother and sister who spent nearly their entire childhood under occupation have finally returned home.
Inna is 15, and Anton is 14. Their entire childhood was spent in a territory that fell under Russian occupation back in 2014.
Due to difficult family circumstances, their mother lost parental rights, and their father had tragically passed away years ago. Their grandmother, who also lived in an occupied area of Ukraine, realized that staying in their hometown—where the full-scale war had made conditions especially dangerous—was no longer an option.
Uncertain about how to safely reach Ukrainian-controlled territory, she took the children to Russia, where they had relatives. From there, they searched for a way to return to Ukraine.In Ukraine, their uncle was waiting for them and reached out to the Ukrainian Child Rights Network for help.
The Bring Kids Back UA team worked to establish a safe route for their return from Russia. Today, the family is finally reunited in Ukraine. Their uncle is now preparing the necessary documents to gain legal custody of his niece and nephew.
Every child brought home is a shared victory for Bring Kids Back UA and our partners. But thousands of Ukrainian children remain hostages of Russia. We must bring them home. And we will. No exceptions, no conditions.