The Save Ukraine NGO successfully returned Mykyta (17), a Ukrainian minor forcibly deported to Russia from occupied Kherson, back to Ukraine after two years.
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Mykyta, 17, was forcibly taken to Russia from occupied Kherson and was forced to attend Russian school where Ukrainian children faced discrimination.
Mykyta would have been forced to fight against Ukraine after turning 18 following service in the 'Young Army' program.
A 17-year-old boy previously illegally deported to Russia from then-occupied Kherson returned to his family in Ukraine
At least 19,500 children have been confirmed as abducted by Russia since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine
Less than 400 of them have returned home
The boy was subjected to so-called "patriotic education" including propaganda lessons about war and military training
At age 18, after the Yunarmia (Young Army), the Russians would force him to fight against his Motherland
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Extraction metadata
Extracted: 2026-03-01T19:10:34.655Z
Source story: 7449259