Themes by tag: evacuation
Twelve children who endured the horrors of russian occupation were rescued last week through the President’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, with critical support from Save Ukraine.
Among those brought back from the occupied territories are boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 17. In some cases, children were sent to camps near Moscow under the pretense of a short stay, only to be subjected to indoctrination about the so-called “russian world” and introduced to their so-called “new homeland.” One child narrowly escaped being taken by a neighbor collaborating with the occupation authorities, who attempted to place her in the russian child welfare system. Fearing for their safety, the girl and her father hid in their own home to evade capture. Another rescued boy, despite being underage, had already received a draft notice for military service in the russian army.
russian forces continue to block families from leaving occupied territories, use children as human shields, and turn schools into propaganda tools.
Denys was born and raised in Berdiansk, a town in southern Ukraine. When he was 16, he and his mother moved to Moscow. A year and a half ago, he returned to his hometown, where his grandmother lives. At that time, Berdiansk was already occupied by the russian army.
Denys’ parents support the war and putin, while he holds the opposite views. His pro-Ukrainian stance caused him numerous problems, and after the full-scale invasion, he was even summoned for interrogation by the FSB.
Determined to escape the occupation and reach Ukrainian-controlled territory, Denys faced resistance from his parents when he told them of his decision. They put pressure on him and tried to intimidate him. However, he persevered. In December 2024, he successfully crossed the border from Belarus into Ukraine. On the way, he also helped elderly women who were evacuated with him. Now Denys lives in the Ternopil oblast.
He is willing to share his experience of life under occupation and offer insights into how to escape when even your closest family members oppose your decision and Ukraine itself.
Background: The volunteer organization Helping to leave has evacuated over 45,000 Ukrainians from the occupied territories and russia.
On February 1, Dutch volunteers Franky and Coen, widely recognized for their unwavering support for Ukraine, will embark on their 30th humanitarian mission to the war-torn region. The duo plans to continue their signature effort of distributing fries and Dutch snacks to those affected by the conflict in Donbas, having already served over 200,000 portions. However, their mission extends beyond food aid—they will once again assist in evacuating individuals from frontline areas who are unable to escape on their own. These evacuees will find refuge at “The Holland House,” a shelter run by the volunteers in Dnipro.
Franky and Coen are no strangers to the dangers of their work. In a previous mission, they narrowly survived a deadly rocket attack in Kramatorsk that claimed 13 lives and left both of them with minor injuries.
Journalists interested in speaking with Franky and Coen can arrange interviews with them in Kyiv or Dnipro.
The duo’s volunteer journey began at the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Franky, who owns a snack bar in the Netherlands and operates food trucks at events, was struck by images of refugees lining up at the Polish-Ukrainian border. What started as a one-time plan to hand out fries at the border soon turned into a full-scale humanitarian mission, with support from his friend Coen. Their efforts quickly expanded beyond the border. They initially worked in the Lviv region, then moved to areas in the Kyiv region that had just been liberated. Their subsequent missions took them to Kharkiv, Donbas, and eventually to Kherson and Zaporizhia. Over the past two years, Franky and Coen have consistently returned to some of the most dangerous regions in Ukraine, providing both aid and hope to those in need.
Before russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 22-year-old Danylo and his father, Serhii, lived in Kryvyi Rih, working as truck drivers. But their lives changed drastically in June 2022 when Serhii was mobilized into the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Not long after, Danylo began volunteering alongside his father’s unit in the Kherson region.
By March 2023, Danylo decided to officially enlist, choosing to serve in his father’s unit to remain by his side. Now, the two work together as part of an evacuation crew, risking their lives to transport wounded soldiers from the front lines. Serhii says having his son with him provides the strength he needs to stay in the fight until Ukraine secures victory.
Looking ahead, Serhii hopes to return to his life as a truck driver, while Danylo dreams of launching his own business after the war.
Interviews with Danylo and Serhii are available both online and in person, pending prior approval from the press officer. Journalists must hold accreditation from Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense.
An unusual operation called “HUR-CAT” was carried out by fighters of the Tymur special unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. The special forces evacuated 15 cats from Snake Island and successfully transported them to the Ukrainian mainland.
The soldiers placed the animals in special carriers and transported them by boat to a safe location. All 15 cats were then delivered to the Sirius shelter in the Kyiv oblast. The animals are now undergoing a period of adjustment and efforts are being made to find them new homes.
Comments from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence can be arranged by appointment. Journalists are also invited to visit the Sirius sanctuary, meet its founder and see the rescued animals.
Background information: The battle for Snake Island began on 24 February 2022 with a missile attack on the Ukrainian border guard garrison stationed there. The attack destroyed all structures on the island, but the Ukrainian border guards continued to resist. After several hours of fighting, russian forces captured Snake and took its defenders prisoner. The island was liberated on the 30th of June 2022, when powerful attacks by Ukrainian forces forced the russian occupiers to hastily evacuate the remnants of their garrison.
Before the full-scale invasion began, Liudmyla Porfilenko lived in Kurakhove, Donetsk oblast, worked as a nurse at a local school, and in her spare time made toys and jewelry in a small workshop she set up in her apartment. Liudmyla’s husband was a doctor, and together they raised three children.
On February 24, 2022, Liudmyla could not believe that a great war had begun. But by the third week of the invasion, her family decided to evacuate. They packed their children, two dogs, and canisters of gasoline into the car. They took only a change of clothes and some of Liudmyla’s craft supplies. The family made their way to the Volyn oblast, choosing it on the advice of acquaintances who had evacuated from Donetsk oblast in 2014.
Later her parents were also evacuated to Volyn. Liudmyla’s husband found a job in a local hospital, and she revived her small studio. She starts working early in the morning, sewing toys and making jewelry from precious stones. She sells her creations on social media or through acquaintances. Some of her handmade dolls have traveled the world, with orders from France, Germany and England. Liudmyla also holds wool felting workshops for children.
You can speak with Liudmyla either online or in person by appointment.
Background: Kurakhove is currently under heavy fighting, and most of the population has fled the city.
The White Angels police unit operates in hot spots, evacuating civilians, providing emergency medical care, delivering humanitarian aid and transporting the bodies of the deceased. Currently, the team is working in Kurakhove, Donetsk oblast.
In one trip, the officers managed to evacuate 13 people and 7 animals. The White Angels loaded 10 residents with their belongings, along with six cats and a dog, into an armored vehicle. They also towed a car damaged by an enemy drone, carrying a woman and her son, while the father of the family followed in his own vehicle.
During one operation, while the crew was evacuating two children with their parents, the occupiers attacked with aerial bombs. The law enforcement officers waited out the attack and took the people to a safe place.
Interviews with the officers can be arranged both online and offline by prior arrangement, with the possibility of covering the crew’s work.
The volunteer organization Helping to Leave has successfully evacuated more than 45,000 Ukrainians from occupied regions and russian territory. Currently, the initiative boasts over 200 dedicated volunteers who assist Ukrainians living under occupation or those who have been deported to russia in their return to government-controlled areas.
Most individuals under occupation discover the opportunity to leave through word of mouth, with preparations for each evacuation often taking several months. This timeline is contingent upon the documents that evacuees possess, the situation at the front lines, and the chosen route. Volunteers frequently encounter individuals with expired or completely lost documents.
Following the shutdown of the humanitarian border in the Sumy region, requests for assistance surged, prompting Helping to Leave to operate around the clock to aid those in need. Journalists may cover the work of Helping to Leave’s volunteers by prior arrangement.
For context: The humanitarian corridor at the Kolotilovka-Pokrovka checkpoint on the border area of russian belgorod oblast and Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast was temporarily closed in early August. This checkpoint was the only functioning route between Ukraine and russia, utilized by those escaping occupied territories. The closure was attributed to an escalation of hostilities in the area.
Iryna and Viktor, from Kryvyi Rih, met at paramedic courses after the start of the full-scale invasion. The couple has not been apart since.
Together, Viktor and Iryna began evacuating wounded soldiers and civilians from the front lines. For two years, the volunteers traveled from one hotspot to another. Viktor proposed to Iryna during shelling in Avdiivka, when the city was still under Ukrainian control.
Last year, the Mironovs founded the Ukrainian Brotherhood NGO, which raises money for vehicles, drones, and electronic warfare systems for the military. When the couple is in Kryvyi Rih, they assist rescuers at the sites of enemy attacks, helping to clear debris and pull people from the ruins. They say their real day off will come after victory.
Iryna and Viktor Mironov are in Kryvyi Rih. The volunteers are ready to talk to journalists, both online and offline.
The NGO “Humanitarian Aid Center Volunteer-68” in Kharkiv has a mission that goes beyond ordinary assistance to people with disabilities. The organization focuses on the most vulnerable: people with disabilities who have no close relatives nearby. Representatives of “Volunteer-68” evacuate them from dangerous areas, transport them to state institutions, banks, administrative service centers, etc.
In the “Without Limits” transit shelter, they provide round-the-clock care for evacuees with limited mobility and people with disabilities. In addition, their case managers address critical issues for elderly and disabled people staying in other temporary shelters in Kharkiv. This includes restoring documents, paying pensions, and organizing care and treatment.
In June 2024, Volunteer-68 opened an inclusive educational space in Kharkiv, where members of low-mobility groups can receive education, including vocational training, which is especially important given the increasing number of people with disabilities due to the war.
The organization has also created a network of activists called “Ambassadors of Inclusion” in three communities of the Kharkiv oblast. They advocate for the interests of people with disabilities and work to improve accessibility.
Journalists have the opportunity to cover the activities of the Volunteer-68 NGO.
For reference: September 6, 2024 will mark two years since the start of the Slobozhansk counteroffensive of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, which led to the near-total liberation of the Kharkiv oblast from the russian occupiers.
