Teenage cousins illegally deported to Russia brought back to Ukraine

Teenage cousins, who were illegally taken to the territory of the Russian Federation by the occupiers, have been brought back to Ukraine.

One of them is a 15-year-old boy, for whom there was a struggle for more than three months, the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporary Occupied Territories reported.

As the ministry reports, Ihor and Vasyl are residents of the city of Kherson. Natalia, the mother of one of the boys, tried to save Ihor, to take him somewhere when war and occupation came to the city.

"However, it was almost impossible to escape to the territory of free Ukraine. Instead, the occupiers insidiously offered to send the boy to Anapa (Russian Federation), allegedly ‘for bettering of his health’," the Ministry of Reintegration noted.

Vasyl and Igor with their mother Natalya

They add that Natalia agreed and signed the documents. When she realised what had happened, it was too late. The child was not given back to her.

"What’s more, the boy was used as a hostage. They have conducted psychological and ‘educational’ work on him, trying to separate him from his mother and his homeland forever," the ministry emphasised.

The ministry added that it was not easy to get Ihor out of the trap and convince him to return home.

Iryna Vereshchuk, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, calls on parents in the occupied territories not to sign anything.

"These non-humans are hiding behind our children. I call on all parents: do not believe a word they say, do not sign anything, do not give them children under any circumstances, even when they will assure you that it is for their own safety. They use them for blackmail and ‘trades’," added Iryna Vereshchuk.

The Ministry of Reintegration emphasised that Ihor and his cousin are at home. The boys admitted that their return was the happiest day of their lives.

Background: Recently, it was possible to bring 16 children aged 7 to 16 from Kherson Oblast back to Ukraine, whom the occupiers had deported to Russia and occupied Crimea allegedly to "recreation" camps.

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