Bring Kids Back UA evacuates teenager targeted by occupation authorities with fake criminal case

An 18-year-old Ukrainian named Bohdan has been evacuated from temporarily occupied territory through the presidential initiative Bring Kids Back UA, with assistance from the Ukrainian Network for Children's Rights and the Humanity team, according to reports from the initiative.

Russian law enforcement attempted to fabricate a criminal case against Bohdan, the reports state. Russian police presented him with documents to sign without proper explanation of their content or consequences. These papers were subsequently used as formal grounds for ongoing pressure, threats, and control over the teenager.

The evacuation required careful planning due to security checkpoints, document inspections, and the constant risk of detention. One miscalculation could have resulted in arrest, making detailed route planning essential for the operation's success.

Bohdan has now reached Ukrainian-controlled territory and is receiving necessary support and assistance as he begins recovery and plans his future.

The case illustrates what the initiative describes as systematic practices by occupation authorities: using fabricated legal pretexts to intimidate and control young people in occupied areas. Such tactics, according to the report, form part of broader militarization and repression mechanisms employed in these territories.

Ukraine has documented over 19,500 children forcibly deported or transferred to Russia since the 2022 invasion, with estimates ranging from 35,000 (Yale Humanitarian Research Lab) to higher figures cited by Russian officials up to 700,000.

Approximately 1,600 to 1,859 Ukrainian children have been returned from Russia as of late 2025 to early 2026, facilitated by initiatives like Bring Kids Back UA and mediators such as Qatar.