Thirteen children have been safely returned to Ukrainian-controlled territory from Russian-occupied Kherson, after enduring threats, coercion, and militarization under occupation.
The group – five girls and eight boys, aged three to 17 – was evacuated as part of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s “Bring Kids Back UA” initiative, with support from the Save Ukraine charity.
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Announcing the return on Tuesday, Kherson Regional Military Administration head Oleksandr Prokudin said the children had been subjected to intense pressure during their time under occupation.
“In some cases, Russians intimidated children with firing-squad executions, disguising themselves in Ukrainian uniforms,” Prokudin said, adding that in other cases “the occupation authorities forced children to register for military service,” despite their health problems.
Teenagers were also prepared for combat, with Russian authorities training them “on ranges to dig trenches, shoot and throw grenades.”
The children are currently undergoing reintegration at “Hope and Recovery” centers, where they are receiving psychological support as well as practical help with documents and shelters.
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The Kherson case reflects a broader pattern of unlawful deportations and forced transfers that international bodies have classified as a war crime. Ukrainian children are subjected to pro-Russian ideology with the aim of erasing Ukrainian identity through forced citizenship.
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In May, the EU adopted new restrictive measures against 16 individuals and seven entities linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine, targeting those accused of unlawful deportations, forced transfers, as well as forced assimilation and indoctrination of Ukrainian minors.
The European Council estimates that Russia has deported or forcibly transferred nearly 20,500 Ukrainian children since the start of the full-scale invasion, describing these actions as grave breaches of international law and violations of children’s fundamental rights.
The International Criminal Court has already issued arrest warrants for Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and Russian children’s rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova over the deportations. Kyiv continues to push for a stronger international mechanism to locate and bring the abducted children home.
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