Ukraine has brought back three more children, aged 11 to 17, from the occupied Kherson region

Three more boys were successfully brought back from the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region to territory controlled by Ukraine.

Among them is a 13-year-old boy who endured constant terror at the hands of Russian troops. According to Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Kherson Regional State Administration, Russian combat drones deliberately targeted civilians in his city.

In addition, under the threat of having his parents’ parental rights revoked, the boy was forced to attend a Russian school, where he was subjected to propaganda, forced to draw Russian soldiers, and made to take ideological tests.

“He is now safe along with two other boys and is receiving the necessary assistance,” Prokudin said.

The return took place with the assistance of the charity Save Ukraine as part of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative. Since the beginning of 2026, 246 children have been successfully returned from the occupied part of the Kherson region.

Source: Oleksandr Prokudin

Russia has begun sending Ukrainian children—whom it abducted during the full-scale war—to its army. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made this statement during a speech at a special panel on Ukraine as part of the 30th Ibero-American Summit. According to him, the occupiers may be training the abducted children to participate in the war against their own country.

Russia has announced preparations for a new phase in the return of Ukrainian children to their families. In November, they plan to help nine children reunite with their loved ones in Ukraine with the participation of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump.

Another 14 children have been returned to territory controlled by Ukraine.

Ukraine has verified more than 20,000 cases of child deportation.