Forced into "cadet" training and denied medical care: Ukraine brings back 15 children from Russian occupation
Fifteen more Ukrainian children and teenagers were brought back from Russian-occupied territory last week. They had been forcibly enrolled as "cadets", denied access to medical care, and threatened with the prospect of being registered for Russian military service.
Source: Bring Kids Back UA
Details: Among those brought back is 14-year-old Alina, who secretly continued her studies online at a Ukrainian school under constant attacks. Living under Russian occupation, she was denied medical treatment and rehabilitation services because her family refused to obtain Russian documents.
Ivan, 18, also left temporarily occupied territory after having to hide his pro-Ukrainian views. He studied at a college where students were forced to listen to Russian propaganda in class and disassemble assault rifles under the supervision of a Russian officer.
Quote from Bring Kids Back UA: "When the boys began to be summoned for military registration, Ivan left so he would not have to fight against his own country."
More details: Demian, 18, was unable to avoid that fate: he was forced to register for military service. His hometown was flooded with armed Chechens who openly abused the locals. He witnessed Russian soldiers storm into a class and restrain one of his classmates.
Seventeen-year-old Yevheniia's family home was searched by armed Russian soldiers at least 10 times. She was forced to attend a local school, where "children were forcibly enrolled as 'cadets', made to wear military uniform and told every day that war is normal," Bring Kids Back UA reported.
More details: The 15 children and teenagers are now safe at Hope and Recovery centres. They are receiving psychological support, help with documents, housing and care.
But hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children remain in temporarily occupied territories, where the Russian-appointed authorities are intensifying pressure, trying to forcibly mobilise teenagers into the armed forces and making routes back to Ukraine more difficult.
Background: Earlier, we reported that 19 children and teenagers were brought back from occupied territories to Ukrainian-controlled territory. Among them was a 19-year-old girl who was persecuted by a Russian serviceman just for saying "thank you" in Ukrainian.
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