As part of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, a brother and sister who had resided in occupation for nearly their entire lives have been returned to the territory controlled by Ukraine.
Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, announced this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.
Pro-Russian militants captured Inna and Anton’s hometown in 2014. The children’s father died, and their mother was deprived of parental rights. They were raised by their grandmother.
After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, she decided that she needed to leave her hometown, which was becoming increasingly dangerous.
The family could not immediately get to the government-controlled territory. They were forced to go to their relatives who lived in Russia. At the same time, the family persisted in their efforts to find a way to return to Ukraine, where their uncle was awaiting their arrival.
“Today the children are finally home, in their native country. I am grateful to the specialists of the Ukrainian Child Rights Network for organizing this rescue mission,” Yermak said.
As Ukrinform reported, as of January 28, 1,037 illegally deported Ukrainian children were returned from Russia as part of the President’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative.
Source: Ukraine returns two children who spent almost all their lives in occupation
