Two Ukrainian teenagers returned home from TOT and the Russian Federation

17-year-old Oksana's hometown was occupied by the Russian army back in 2014. Then, as a child, she and her mother were forcibly taken to Russia. There, she faced constant humiliation because of her Ukrainian origin — she was not just bullied at school, but also repeatedly beaten.

Despite the daily pressure and violence, Oksana did not lose her desire to return to Ukraine. She tried several times to reach home on her own, and during her last attempt, she spent four days on the road without food.

After that, Oksana turned to the Ukrainian Network for Children's Rights team for help, who helped develop a safe route and prepare all the necessary documents. Today, the girl is already in Ukraine and plans to enter a higher educational institution.

18-year-old Andriy lived with his mother and sister in the temporarily occupied territory. Constant moral pressure was accompanied by the real threat of mobilization into the Russian army. Russian military officers watched the boy's house and harassed him. The fact that one day he might be forced to fight against his own homeland became his greatest fear and motivation to leave.

Andriy tried to escape on his own several times, but in vain. His sister had previously managed to escape the occupation, and it was she who advised his brother to contact the Ukrainian Network for Children's Rights.

This time the attempt was successful: a team of our partners planned a safe route and helped the boy cross the border. Now Andriy is safe in Ukrainian-controlled territory, next to his sister.

To better understand the topic of Russia's abduction of Ukrainian children, watch the documentary "Marred Childhood," created by the Ukrainian independent media and video production company Online.UA.