Three teenagers rescued from occupied Ukraine territories – Yermak
As part of the initiative of the President of Ukraine Bring Kids Back UA, three more teenagers from the temporarily occupied territory were rescued, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak has said.
According to him, for more than three years the children lived in fear and danger: "The occupiers openly threatened children and their families because of their pro-Ukrainian position, forced them to study according to Russian programs, banned the Ukrainian language and symbols, and summoned them for interrogations."
Yermak noted that some of the teenagers had hardly left their homes for years to avoid persecution, while others tried to leave on their own, but encountered obstacles at the borders: "Thanks to the assistance of the Ombudsman's Office and the Helping to Leave team, all three are finally in free Ukraine, next to their families."
"They are receiving psychological, humanitarian and legal assistance, restoring their documents and preparing to return to school and a normal life. We are fulfilling the President's task - to return all the children," Yermak said.