Daughter of fallen soldier brought back to Ukraine day before she was due to be sent to Russian children's home

Ukraine has succeeded in bringing back a 14-year-old girl from occupied territory, just one day before she was due to be forcibly sent to a Russian boarding school.

Source: Bring Kids Back UA, a Ukrainian NGO that is involved in bringing children back from the occupied territories 

Details: The 14-year-old Anna lived with her grandmother and older sister in Ukraine’s south. After the full-scale war began, their village came under occupation.

Ukraine has succeeded in bringing back a 14-year-old girl from occupied territory just one day before she was due to be forcibly sent to a Russian children’s home.

Source: Bring Kids Back UA, a Ukrainian NGO that is involved in bringing children back from the occupied territories

Details: Fourteen-year-old Anna lived with her grandmother and older sister in Ukraine’s south. After the full-scale war began, their village came under occupation.

Anna’s father went to defend Ukraine and was killed in action in the first few months of the full-scale war.

Quote from Bring Back Kids UA: "The Russian guardianship authorities openly pressured the family: the girl was threatened, intimidated, and repeatedly told she would be taken away and never see her family again.

As the daughter of a Ukrainian serviceman, she was under special surveillance by the occupying authorities."

Anna’s escape to Ukraine, where her grandmother on her father’s side was waiting for her, had been planned for over ten months.

Quote: "In July 2025 it became known that Anna was about to be taken to a Russian children’s home, so action had to be swift. There was only one day to arrange her documents and plan a safe route – and most importantly, to help her to believe that escape was possible."

Throughout the journey, Anna was terrified that she would be caught or not get out in time. But she was finally reunited with her grandma in Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Now the teenager dreams of the liberation of her home village and seeing her loved ones who are still there.

Background: At the beginning of August, it was reported that another group of children had been brought back from occupied areas.

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