21 Ukrainians returned from the occupation: three families from Kherson region remained together

From the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, 21 citizens have been returned. This was reported by the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets.

Directly from the occupied territories 17 people were evacuated. Another four Ukrainians reached home via Georgia and Moldova.

Among those returned are three families from the Kherson region. During the occupation they lived close to each other, endured shelling and prolonged power outages together, shared food and supported one another. After their return the families were able to stay together.

They described their experience like this:

We survived because we held on to each other.

The group that traveled through neighboring countries included a husband, his father and two young daughters. According to Dmytro Lubinets, the family began to be persecuted after the children’s mother was detained because of her pro‑Ukrainian stance. The woman was sentenced to a long prison term.

The Ombudsman’s Office also receives appeals from people who want to leave Oleshky and other occupied settlements in the Kherson region. Office staff review these appeals and, together with state and international partners, look for evacuation opportunities.

In the Ombudsman’s Office they emphasized that they continue to help both those who have already returned and need support, and those who are still waiting for the opportunity to leave.

For the Ombudsman’s Office this work does not stop for a single day. It continues both for those who have already returned and need support, and for those who are still waiting for the opportunity to return home.

Previously we wrote:

• Mykolaiv prepares to receive Kherson residents who may be evacuated in winter
• 13 children were returned from temporarily occupied Kherson region
• Mandatory evacuation expanded in the Kherson region
• Occupied Oleshky: evacuation lists compiled and a decision on opening a route is being made
• The occupiers kidnapped children from a Mykolaiv boarding school: some were returned only after two years