Last week, the Save Ukraine team rescued 33 children and teenagers from occupation. This was made possible thanks to the support of our partners within the framework of the President of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative. Each of them endured pressure, intimidation, and attempts at “re-education,” but today, that is finally behind them. 

Among the rescued: 

🔹 19-year-old Andriy, whose school was repurposed by the occupiers as their own medical station, with military equipment hidden nearby. Armed soldiers hunted the young man down for refusing to get a Russian passport: they intercepted him right on the street, took him in for interrogations, and openly blackmailed him with criminal prosecution. 

🔹 19-year-old Mariia, who was frequently forced to sing the Russian anthem during her studies and coerced into installing the spy app MAX at work. The young woman lived under constant pressure from pervasive propaganda—present at every turn—urging women to have children specifically to replenish the Russian army in the future. 

🔹 18-year-old Maksym, who faced aggressive militarization. Russian soldiers constantly visited his school, propagandizing teenagers to join the enemy army, and during classes, children were forced to disassemble assault rifles. Later, at his university, the young man was threatened with expulsion for refusing to vote for the “United Russia” party. 

For these and 30 other children, the occupation is now in the past. Today, they are undergoing rehabilitation at our Hope and Healing Centers, receiving comprehensive psychological support, assistance with documents, and a cozy place to live so they can start with a clean slate. 

Unfortunately, thousands of children still remain under occupation, where the enemy is trying to erase their identity and weaponize them. That is why our fight for every single one of them continues. 

🙏🏻 Thank you to our partners Wladimir Klitschko, Tatjana Kiel, #WeAreAllUkrainians, and the Joint Center for Coordinating the Search and Release—together, we are bringing Ukrainian children home. 

Thanks to Save Ukraine, over 1,700 children are already home.