The story of a Ukrainian boy who was forcibly taken to Russia - from despair to rescue

During a forum on "Dictatorship against Democracy" in Leipzig, Germany, Ukraine told its participants about the deportation of Ukrainian children by Russian invaders. The Ukrainian side was represented by Mykola Kuleba, head of the Save Ukraine public organisation, which deals with the return of children to the Kiev-controlled territory.

He said that thanks to the efforts of the organisation, more than 500 children had been returned to their homeland. Among those who are now safe is Rostyslav, whose story was heard by Forum participants.

Rostyslav, 18, one of many Ukrainian children who survived deportation to Russia, shared his impressions of the horrors he had to endure. He told how he was forced to leave home, went through forced Russification and found his way home thanks to his mother and the Save Ukraine organisation.

One day Russian soldiers came to our house and ordered us to pack. They told me that I had to go to study in a Russian school and threatened that otherwise they would take me to some unknown place," the boy shared.

Rostislav then became a participant of the system, where he was forced to forget about Ukraine and who he really is.

Every day we were forced to sing the Russian anthem and express respect for the symbols of Russian statehood. If anyone refused, we were put in an isolation centre for several days," Rostislav recalls.

Initially, he was taken to the then occupied Kherson, then transferred to the territory of occupied Crimea. There he was "brainwashed", forced to assemble and disassemble assault rifles during history lessons, and forced to sing the Russian anthem. Those who resisted, like him, were thrown into the isolation centre. According to him, this isolator, where children were thrown, had minimal amenities. Moreover, the children who ended up there were not let out of it for several days.

Rostislav also said that the Russians forced him to take a Russian passport. Moreover, they issued it to the child without his consent. When they put the Russian passport in his hands, Rostislav tore it. Then the occupants took away his Ukrainian passport and he was left without documents. The child was taken to Russia. There were many people like Rostislav.

Rostislav's rescue became possible thanks to his mother, who, having learnt about the existence of the Save Ukraine organisation, was able to follow him to Russia.

When my mother found me and showed me all the documents, two of my friends were released, but I was held. They said that if I didn't take a Russian passport, I would stay here forever," he recalls.

However, thanks to the support of Save Ukraine and the persistence of Rostislav's mother, Rostislav was returned to Ukraine. Now he lives in a rehabilitation centre and learns the profession of a photographer.

Psychologists helped me, I was able to return to normal life. Now I feel that I am coming back to myself," Rostislav said.

According to the Ukrainian side, Russia has kidnapped more than 20,000 Ukrainian children. There is a risk of deportation of another 1.5 million children who are in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

We shall remind you that the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin back in 2022 because of the deportation of Ukrainian children.