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Ukraine Rescues 22-Year-Old Fleeing Forced Mobilization in Russian-Occupied Territory
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Ukraine has returned a 22-year-old man from Russian-occupied territory, where he had spent several years in fear of forced mobilization. The operation was conducted within the Bring Kids Back UA initiative.
This was reported by Andrii Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, via Telegram on November 24.
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Yermak said the young man had lived for more than three years under the constant threat of being drafted by Russian occupation forces. He had long hoped to reunite with his parents in government-controlled territory, but attempting to pass through multiple Russian checkpoints alone posed serious risks.
“Thanks to the assistance of specialists from the Ukrainian Child Rights Network and the volunteer initiative Humanity, the young man is now safely in free Ukraine, receiving the necessary help and support,” Yermak wrote.
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At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says global engagement is essential to securing the return of children abducted by Russia, emphasizing that international leaders, humanitarian organizations, and public figures must all play a role in the effort. He noted that Ukraine is cooperating with a wide network of partners—including Qatar, the Vatican, and several intelligence services—to track and repatriate minors taken across the border.
“We brought back more than 1,600 children. And our estimation was that there are thousands there. It’s true – about 19.5 thousand children are stolen in Russia,” he said, describing the mission as “a long and difficult way.”
Zelenskyy added that Ukrainian authorities have identified “around 400 locations of abducted children” inside Russia, stressing that each case demands careful verification and close international coordination.
Earlier, a group of children and teenagers were evacuated from the Russian-occupied part of the Kherson region and returned to Ukrainian-controlled territory.
The group, consisting of boys and girls aged 7 to 17—including three children without parental care—had faced “the grim reality of occupation,” marked by harassment, threats, and coercion.
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