The Save Ukraine team has successfully rescued 17 Ukrainian children and teenagers from temporarily occupied territories. We are deeply grateful to Wolodymyr Klitschko, Tatjana Kiel from WeAreAllUkrainians, Humanity Foundation, Helping to Leave, and the Joint Center for the Coordination of Search and Release for making this mission possible.

These children endured fear, pressure, and humiliation — but today, they are finally safe. They can once again be children, breathe freely, and feel love around them.

Among the rescued:

🔹 Mykyta, 17, was taken to a so-called “military camp” near Melitopol. For five days, his life was run like in the army — 6 a.m. wake-ups, drills, digging trenches for speed, assembling rifles and drones, storming buildings — all on command. His parents couldn’t refuse participation: without a “certificate” from the camp, he was threatened with being denied his school diploma.

🔹 Rostyslav, 17, was seized from his home by Russian soldiers during a search — without explanation. They confiscated his devices and took him to the police station. Several of his relatives serve in the Ukrainian army, so the occupiers came to their house right after the village was captured. He was released a few hours later, but he and his mother lived in constant fear as soldiers repeatedly returned.

🔹 Yaroslav, 7, spent three years living with his grandparents on the opposite side of the city. His parents had gone to occupied Kherson and were unable to return — the bridge was blown up, and the crossing closed. His relatives hid the boy from the occupiers, even obtaining Russian documents to avoid suspicion. When they learned that the occupation authorities planned to “remove” the child, they decided to flee — at any cost.

🔹 Sonia, 12, and Tymofii, 9, were terrified of attending the Russian school. A classmate once told Sonia, “She should be killed because she’s from Ukraine.” Tymofii was constantly bullied, and anti-Ukrainian songs were played in class. In 2023, their older brother managed to reach Europe, and as soon as a humanitarian corridor opened, the family finally returned to Ukraine.

Today, all the rescued children are safe. At the Hope and Healing centers, they receive psychological support, legal assistance, shelter, and care — everything they need to feel like children again.

Thanks to Save Ukraine, more than 900 children have already been rescued from Russia and the temporarily occupied territories. But thousands still await their chance for freedom.

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