Yermak: 22 more Ukrainian children, teenagers rescued from occupied territories
Twenty-two Ukrainian children and teenagers from the temporarily occupied territories were successfully evacuated to the government-controlled territory of Ukraine, Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak has said.
"Within the framework of the initiative of the President of Ukraine Bring Kids Back UA, 22 Ukrainian children and teenagers from the temporarily occupied territories were rescued," he said in the Telegram channel on Friday.
According to Yermak, among those rescued is a ten-year-old boy who was forced to study according to the Russian program and threatened to be sent for an "examination" to Crimea with a fabricated psychiatric diagnosis.
A 16-year-old teenager and his younger brother were also returned. Their family was persecuted in the village due to the parents' refusal to issue Russian passports and work in a school captured by the occupiers. Also a 14-year-old girl who was constantly humiliated in a Russian school for her Ukrainian origin.
"Today, all the rescued children are safe in the territory controlled by Ukraine. They receive psychological support and assistance with documents. I am grateful to Save Ukraine, Helping to Leave, the Joint Center for the Coordination of Search and Release and all partners who helped save the children," Yermak said.
As reported, within the framework of the President's Bring Kids Back initiative, Ukraine returned 1,645 children. Another group of 16 children was returned on September 30, and three children on September 26,.