Bringing Hope and Healing to War-Affected Orphans

In the first five months of 2025, Save Ukraine successfully returned 104 Ukrainian children from Russia and the temporarily occupied territories. In May alone, we rescued 28 children. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 663 children have been brought home, including 146 orphans.

Among them is 17-year-old Dmytro. His story is not loud or public. It is a story of devastating loss, quiet resilience, and inner strength in the face of overwhelming fear.

Dmytro became an orphan after Russian occupiers abducted his father twice. They tortured him with beatings and electric shocks, then forced him to dig his own grave at a cemetery while pressuring him to collaborate. After one of these “interrogations,” his father returned home unable to speak, see, or move. Doctors diagnosed him with severe brain atrophy and critical neurological damage. Soon after, he passed away. He was only 42 years old.

At the funeral, representatives of the occupation administration declared that Dmytro must accept Russian guardianship. The boy feared being sent far from home to an orphanage in Russia. That fear was not unfounded—armed forces had already searched his home, and occupying soldiers took over another part of the house. They stole appliances, furniture, and even Dmytro’s personal library.

Dmytro avoided any contact with the occupiers. He remained silent, hiding. He continued studying remotely at a Ukrainian school, despite the fear that someone would find evidence on his phone. His only support during that dark time was a close friend with whom he played volleyball and trained on pull-up bars. These brief moments gave Dmytro a reason to keep going.

After his father’s death, relatives reached out to Save Ukraine. They knew that if Dmytro was not evacuated soon, he might disappear. Our team managed to organize his rescue while ensuring the safety of family members still living under occupation. Today, Dmytro is safe. He is receiving care and rehabilitation at the Hope and Healing Center. He speaks little. He doesn’t yet know what his future holds. But he is reading again—and this time, in peace.

This is just one story. There are dozens more—hundreds. Save Ukraine continues the daily fight for every child’s life, every future, every hope.

Thanks to you, we can bring children home, provide them with rehabilitation, and help them recover in safety.

Thank you for your support! Your help saves lives!