Seven Ukrainian teenagers brought back after abuse and threats in occupied territory

Seven teenagers have been brought back to Ukraine from temporarily Russian-occupied territories, where they were subjected to threats, torture, beatings and religious persecution by the Russians. The teenagers are now safe.

Source: Bring Kids Back UA

Details: Among those rescued is 17-year-old Solomiia. Officers from Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) forced their way into her home, carried out an unlawful search, examined her electronic devices and pointed a weapon at her mother.

They threatened to take Solomiia to an orphanage and send her mother "to the basement", a term widely used in the occupied territories to refer to makeshift torture chambers where detainees are held in harsh conditions and subjected to abuse. Solomiia is now struggling with panic attacks and severe insomnia.

Artem, 18, was also brought back to Ukraine. Russian military police handcuffed him to a radiator and tortured him for two hours for speaking Ukrainian.

Artem was beaten on his body and legs with rubber batons, and plastic zip ties were tightened around his wrists. Russian soldiers called him a "khokhol" (an ethnic slur against Ukrainians) and threatened to kill him.

Kostia, 18, faced religious persecution for being a member of a Protestant community since childhood and was humiliated at school for his faith. The Russian authorities forced him to register for military service and undergo ideological tests on his attitude towards the Russian armed forces. He was due to be conscripted into Russia's military shortly.

Ostap, 18, was repeatedly threatened by a teacher who worked with the Russian secret services and openly claimed that he could make any student "disappear". Ostap witnessed children being bullied for being pro-Ukrainian on multiple occasions.

The teenagers are now staying in Hope and Recovery centres, where they are receiving mental health support as well as help with documents and housing.

Background: On 17 February, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the number of children who have been successfully brought back from Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories and from Russia.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!