'Children should be children not soldiers'

HAD HE not been rescued, Serhii might be learning to fire grenades or drive tanks for the Russian army.

- By Marco Giannangeli

The 14-year-old Ukrainian was 11 when invading forces deported him from Vovchansk, Kharkiv, to a “children’s camp” in Medvezhonok across the border.

Like thousands of others, he was bullied and brainwashed by Russian authorities desperate for troops to feed into their so-called meat grinder.

Instead of fighting against his homeland, he was saved by the determination of his older sister Kseniia Koldin — who had herself escaped capture — and is now back in Ukraine.

When she finally reached him after months apart, she expected her little brother to run into her arms.

“My brother didn’t even hug me, it was very strange,” she said.

“He started repeating all of the propaganda he had been fed. He was scared there are Nazis, they were going to kill him, he would be very miserable and they would hate him.”

For three hours she reminded him of their childhood. Slowly the fear faded. At last he asked, “Are you sure it’s safe?”. Kseniia took his hands. “Yes, Serhii. We'll be safe together,” she told him.