Six More Ukrainian Children and Their Mothers Return From Occupied Territories

Six more Ukrainian children, along with their mothers, returned from the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea, on October 23.

This was reported by Andrii Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.

"Today, six more Ukrainian children, aged 3 to 17, returned with their mothers from the temporarily occupied territories of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea as part of the President of Ukraine's BringKidsBack initiative," Yermak said.

He noted that these children endured difficult trials during their time under occupation.

"They were forced to attend Russian schools, where a significant part of the curriculum was filled with propaganda. If they refused, their parents were blackmailed with threats of losing parental rights, illegal searches, and interrogations. Some children faced health issues but were unable to receive the necessary treatment and medications," Yermak highlighted.

"They lived in constant fear of being discovered, which could lead to the child being taken away or the parents being unlawfully arrested. The child continued to study online at a Ukrainian school," the head of the Office of the President reported.

"Thanks to our joint efforts, we were able to ensure the safe return of these families. Now they are safe and receiving the necessary support," Yermak concluded.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has illegally deported over 20,000 Ukrainian children, according to Ukrainian Ombudsman for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets. He warned that approximately 1.5 million more children, currently in Russian-occupied territories, face the risk of deportation.