Oksana signed a contract with the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the end of January 2022. She was soon sent to serve in Dnipro. She wanted to settle there first and move her daughter there later. While Oksana was in Dnipro, Eva was staying with her grandparents in the town of Vovchansk, Kharkiv region.
When russia waged its genocidal war on February 24, Vovchansk got occupied almost immediately. Oksana could barely communicate with her family. Her parents and daughter lived in constant fear, not knowing what to do next, In addition, having a relative serving in the AFU could put a target on the family’s back.
In April, Oksana was on duty in one of the combat zones of the Kharkiv region. Unfortunately, she got injured and was hospitalized. She was desperately trying to reunite with her daughter, but due to her injury and the town’s occupation, she could not.
In early September, Oksana's brother obtained russian citizenship; he kept it a secret from his sister. Through the occupied territories, he moved to russia and took Eva with him. Upon returning to Vovchansk, Oksana learned that her daughter was no longer there. Immediately, she reached out to her brother demanding to return her child; Oksana’s brother, however, did not comply.
Betrayed by her own brother, Oksana contacted «Save Ukraine». Kharkiv police recommended our services to the woman since we’d already had some experience in rescue operations at that time. With our help and after countless steps, negotiations, legal arrangements, and kilometers - the family has finally reunited!
There’s nothing a mother craves more than hugging her child after long months of separation. Oksana’s dream finally came true, mother and her daughter are now inseparable !
