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Ukraine Evacuates Teen, Infant, and Family From Russian Occupation Under Bring Kids Back Initiative
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
As part of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, four young people and an infant have been rescued from Russian-occupied territories.
This was announced by the Head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak via Telegram on August 21.
He said that an 18-year-old girl had spent her entire childhood and adolescence under occupation, facing constant pressure and danger, and that throughout those years her only support had been an aunt in Kyiv, who had been waiting for her in free Ukraine.
“Another story is about a young couple with an infant. They lived without electricity, water, or safety. Eventually, they made the difficult decision to escape. The woman’s brother left with them as well,” Yermak said, thanking the Ukrainian Child Rights Network and all partners for their assistance.
In a separate case, Yermak announced that two Ukrainian teenage girls were also rescued from occupied territories under the same initiative. He explained that they had spent three years living under Russian occupation, enduring threats, the risk of searches, and being forced to attend Russian schools.
Despite this, the girls preserved their Ukrainian identity: they studied online through Ukrainian schools, avoided imposed “patriotic” activities, and fought every day for the right to remain themselves. Now, he said, they are safe with their families, receiving support and assistance.
Meanwhile, US First Lady Melania Trump has issued a personal appeal to Vladimir Putin regarding the fate of Ukrainian children taken from temporary occupied territories.
Her letter was handed to the Russian leader by President Donald Trump during his nearly three-hour meeting with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15.
According to a senior US official, the appeal was a “personal initiative” of the First Lady. Though not directly involved in foreign policy, she sought to draw international attention to the humanitarian impact of the war.
Earlier, the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children demanded that Russia immediately and unconditionally return all children taken from Ukraine. The joint statement was endorsed by 38 countries, the Council of Europe, and the European Union.
