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Two Ukrainian Girls Reunited with Families After Evacuations from Russian Occupied Territories

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Maryna_kulakova
Maryna Kulakova
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Since 2014, Russia has implemented a systematic process to deport and forcibly transfer Ukrainian children, utilizing filtration camps, foster care, and adoption networks.

Nearly 20,000 children have been deported, and at least 591 are reported to have died.

To date, Ukraine has successfully repatriated 1,019 children from Russian-controlled and occupied areas. However, nearly 20,000 more remain in Russian-held territories, forcibly relocated and separated from their families.

In response, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has launched the Bring Kids Back UA initiative. This program brings together Ukrainian government agencies, international partners, and non-governmental organizations in a coordinated effort to return all Ukrainian children deported or forcibly transferred by Russia.

On November 27, two Ukrainian girls, 6-year-old Maria and 14-year-old Veronika, have been safely brought back to Ukraine from territories temporarily occupied by Russian forces.

6-year-old Maria and 14-year-old Veronika who have been safely brought back to Ukraine from territories temporarily occupied by Russian forces. (Source: Ukrainian Network for Children’s Rights)
6-year-old Maria and 14-year-old Veronika who have been safely brought back to Ukraine from territories temporarily occupied by Russian forces. (Source: Ukrainian Network for Children’s Rights)

Maria, a 6-year-old girl from a village in the occupied Donetsk region, had been living with her grandparents. After her grandmother passed away, Maria was left in the care of her grandfather, who feared that the occupying forces would take her away. Realizing the danger, her grandfather made the difficult decision to evacuate her.

Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Ukrainian Child Rights Network and other partners, Maria’s safe passage was secured, and she has now been reunited with her mother and younger brother.

Veronika, who lost both of her parents at the age of seven, had been living with a guardian in the Kherson region. The onset of the Russian occupation in 2022 significantly impacted Veronika's life, with ongoing stress affecting her health and disrupting her education. Electricity shortages and communication breakdowns made daily life even more challenging.

In light of these conditions, Veronika’s guardian made the decision to send her to live with her grandmother in Kryvyi Rih, where she could recover from the trauma and continue her education.

After a long journey, Veronika is now safe and ready to begin rebuilding her life.

The successful evacuations of both girls were made possible through the collaboration of the Ukrainian Network for Children’s Rights, SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit, and international partners, including Save Ukraine and the Ukrainian National Peacebuilding Center. The evacuations were part of the «Way Home: A New Route» project, which aims to ensure the safe return of children from occupied areas.

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