Ukraine has returned 11 children from the temporarily occupied part of Kherson region to government-controlled territory, according to Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration.
The group consisted of seven boys and four girls ranging in age from 1 year 4 months to 17 years old. The return was facilitated by the Save Ukraine charitable organization as part of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative launched by Ukraine's President.
Prokudin reported on Monday that since the beginning of the year, 219 children from Kherson region have been returned from temporary occupation. "Behind every return is a saved childhood and a chance at a life without coercion and fear," he said in a statement on his Telegram channel.
The returned children experienced systematic pressure, threats, and fear during their time under Russian occupation. According to Prokudin's account, a 16-year-old boy survived an armed raid by Russian servicemen on his own home. While in the occupied territory, he was forced to learn weapons handling and drone operation at a local school.
A 17-year-old teenager was compelled under threats to attend an occupation school and was placed on military registration. His family endured regular armed searches of their home.
An eight-year-old girl's family received threats that the child would be taken to an orphanage if they refused to have her study according to the Russian curriculum. At her school, the girl was involved in propaganda activities and forced to create postcards as part of the occupation authorities' efforts.
The children's experiences reflect conditions reported across occupied territories in the Kherson region, where Ukrainian officials have documented cases of coercion, military conscription pressure, and forced participation in Russian educational and propaganda programs.