INNOCENT VICTIMS
Mother’s agonising decision to send 11-year-old son 750 miles alone through Ukraine with phone number written on his arm
A BOY of 11 fled Ukraine on his own with only his passport, a note from his mum and a telephone number scribbled on the back of his hand.
Brave Hasan, one of 1.7 million refugees made homeless by Vladimir Putin’s barbaric war machine, left his mum behind in Zaporizhzhia.
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It was there that Russian troops attacked a nearby power plant.
Hasan, whose incredible plight highlights the grim toll the conflict is having on children, then travelled more than 750 miles to the border with Slovakia.
Stunned volunteers there read the letter and rang the number written on his hand to arrange for loved ones in Bratislava, their capital, to pick him up.
The officials gave him warm food and a drink and later paid tribute to his “smile, fearlessness and determination”.
Last night, after he reached relatives, his grateful mum, Julia Pisecka Volodymyrivna, told how she was forced to stay behind to look after a sick relative.
In a heart-warming video message, she explained: “I am a widow and I have more children.
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“I want to thank the Slovak customs and volunteers who took care of my son and helped him cross the border.
“I am grateful you have saved my child’s life. Next to my town is a nuclear power plant that the Russians are shooting at.
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“I couldn’t leave my mother, she can’t move on her own.”
Julia then paid tribute to Slovakia, saying: “People with a big heart live in your small country.”
Local reports last night suggested that Hasan’s siblings had also made it to the border.
The Slovakia Interior Ministry said: “The whole world has been touched by the story of this 11-year-old boy.
"He fled the war all by himself. His mum had to stay with her mum, who is immobile.
“Many took care of the boy, including police, soldiers, customs officers, volunteers and various religious or civilian organisations.
“The boy was provided with transport to Bratislava to see his family.”
They added: “He is the biggest hero. With one plastic bag, a passport and a telephone number written on his hand, he came all alone because his mum had to stay.
“He won over all the volunteers at the border.
"Thanks to the number on his hand and a piece of paper in his waist, he managed to contact his loved ones, who later came for him.
“The whole story ended well.”
Eduard Filo, of the Association of Christian Youth Communities which is helping Hasan’s family, said: “We’re looking for ways to get his mum and his disabled grandmother to safety. Hasan and his siblings are safe in Slovakia.
“He is staying in the prayers for all the families affected by this war and wishing all the people helping a lot of strength and love.”
The huge tally of refugees — mostly women and children — have escaped from Ukraine in just 12 days.
'A REAL HERO'
The United Nations declared it the fastest refugee crisis since the Second World War and pleaded for the guns to fall silent.
More than one million have crossed the border into Poland.
They are arriving at the transport hub confused, cold and hungry and carrying all their belongings, including their pets.
Some are wrapped in specialist foil blankets to warm them up.
In Przemysl, three-year-old Danylo Mikrukov warmed his tiny hands over a fire at a makeshift refugee camp after a gruelling three day trek from Ukraine.
The smoke was burning his eyes but the heat from the flames in sub-zero temperatures was worth it.
He had left his home city of Kryvyi Rih with his mum and brother last Friday as Russia carried out repeated air strikes.
He arrived at the camp on the Polish border with Ukraine late on Sunday night.
Mum Kristina organised their bags in the dark while he wandered over to the light of the fire to warm his hands.
His exhausted parent was at her wits’ end as she tried to rally the kids towards a fleet of waiting coaches taking those displaced on to salvation across Europe.
Danylo and his family are heading to Stuttgart, Germany.
Kristina grabbed their suitcases and slung their backpacks over her shoulders.
A MILLION REFUGEES
In a stolen conversation as they ran to their coach, she held up three fingers and said: “This is how long it took for us to get here — three days.
“Trains, cars, walking. We are tired. We left everything behind and we have no idea when or if we will ever go back.”
The camp in Przemysl was set up just over a week ago but has swelled as more flee the Russian onslaught.
Piles of donated clothes are now mountainous and the tents set up by aid workers are growing in number with every day that passes.
Meanwhile, British hackers have helped build a Ukrainian missing persons website in just 72 hours — allowing war victims to find their loved ones.
The computer whizzes from hacking group Secjuice.com and cyber security firm Webgap.io worked non-stop to launch the platform — dety.org.
People looking for missing friends or relatives can simply log onto the DeTy website — Ukrainian for “Where Are You?”’ — and input their name.
It is hoped the site — due to be launched globally today — will reunite thousands of missing people.
Its London-based Guise Bule founder said: “I am deeply proud of the efforts of the team of volunteers behind DeTy including volunteers in Britain, America and Ukraine.
“They have worked tirelessly to build this platform, translate it into multiple languages and get it ready for launch.”
On Monday night, there was further heavy shelling in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, where at least nine people were killed after the Russians reportedly struck a residential building.
Reports claim children are among the victims.
Russia's army has continued to face stiff resistance and suffer high casualties.
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Top Russian general Vitaly Gerasimov was killed in fighting outside the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, alongside other senior officers, the second of Putin's generals to die in the past week.
Yesterday, it was reported that Major General Andrei Sukhovetsky was killed during the battle for Hostomel Airfield, around 30 miles from Kyiv.
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