Support Ukrainian Kids Rescued from Occupation

The Save Ukraine team continues its daily efforts to rescue Ukrainian children who remain in temporarily occupied territories or have been illegally deported to Russia. As of April 2026, 133 children and young people (82 children and 51 young adults) have already been rescued this year. Since its inception, Save Ukraine has managed to rescue 1,276 children and young people, 235 of whom are orphans or children deprived of parental care. Behind every number is the story of a child who has endured fear, pressure, and the loss of a safe childhood.
One of those rescued is Maksym (name changed for security reasons)—a 17-year-old boy from the Kherson region. His family, which includes five children, lived under occupation, where the children were forced to attend a Russian school under the threat that their parents would have their parental rights revoked. Maksym was studying online at a Ukrainian school, but the occupying authorities began to pressure the family: they came to the house for inspections, demanded to see the laptop and phone, and threatened deportation. After the boy was handed a draft notice during a house-to-house raid, the family realized it was too dangerous to stay any longer.
Maksym’s mother decided to urgently take her son out of the country to save him from forced conscription. The journey was difficult and fraught with fear—checkpoints, document checks, and the constant risk of being stopped and turned back. Thanks to the help of volunteers and the Save Ukraine team, they managed to reach territory controlled by Ukraine. Today, Maksym is safe and gradually recovering from his ordeal. He dreams of working alongside his brothers and returning to a normal life—and even playing soccer again, which used to be his favorite pastime.
Stories like this are not exceptions but the daily reality of our work. Upon their return, the children receive comprehensive support: safe housing, food, psychological counseling, education, and medical and legal assistance. Thanks to your support, we can not only save children but also help them regain a sense of safety, dignity, and hope for the future. Thank you for standing by us and helping to give children back their childhood.

The Save Ukraine team continues its daily work to rescue Ukrainian children who have been illegally deported or detained by Russia in temporarily occupied territories. As of December 2025, we have managed to rescue 501 children this year alone (including 406 children and 95 teenagers and young people who were under 18 at the time of the full-scale invasion).

During the autumn months, we rescued 141 children: 62 in September, 45 in October, and 34 in November. In total, since the start of the full-scale war, the Save Ukraine team has rescued 1,062 children and young people, including 183 orphans and children deprived of parental care.
These figures are not just statistics. Behind each of them is a child who has experienced the loss of their home, pressure, isolation, and attempts to destroy their Ukrainian identity. Many children were forced to study in Russian schools, renounce the Ukrainian language and culture, and live in fear and uncertainty. A significant number of them have long been denied access to a full education and a safe environment, and have suffered bullying and abuse. Save Ukraine works every day to bring these children home to Ukraine, where they can feel safe and heard again.
Rescued children undergo rehabilitation at the Hope and Healing Center. Here they receive comprehensive assistance: safe accommodation, regular meals, psychological support, art therapy, educational catch-up, humanitarian, legal, and medical assistance. Specialists—case managers, psychologists, art therapists, and social workers—work with the children 24/7 to help them gradually recover from the deep trauma of war. No child who comes under the care of Save Ukraine is sent to institutional facilities. For orphans, the team actively seeks family-based forms of upbringing — family-type homes, foster families, or other safe family environments where the child can receive love, care, and a chance for a full life.
A separate step in providing support in 2025 was the “Social Dormitory” initiative for children without parental care aged 14 and older and young people. This project helps teenagers and young people learn independence, basic life skills, and responsibility — things they were deprived of due to war and the loss of their families. We believe that these children deserve not only protection but also a future.
We sincerely thank everyone who supports this project and stands with the children of Ukraine! Thanks to your donations, Save Ukraine can provide comprehensive assistance to those who have suffered the most and give children not only safety, but also hope, dignity, and a sense of home. Your support today is a chance for a child to heal and start a new life.