Ukrainian boy travels 1000km alone with crucial detail written on hand
An 11-year-old boy fleeing Ukraine has been praised as a “hero” after he travelled almost 1000km through his war-torn country alone.
The unnamed child from Zaporizhzhia crossed the border into Slovakia on Saturday night with very few belongings in tow and a phone number written on his hand, the Slovak Ministry of Interior said on Facebook.
“With one plastic bag, passport and phone number written on his hand, he came completely alone because his parents had to stay in Ukraine,” the ministry said in a translated post.
Volunteers helped care for the boy and gave him food, drinks and shelter from the cold.
Slovakian authorities praised the 11-year-old for his strength, calling him “the biggest hero” of the night.
“He gained all [volunteers] with his smile, fearlessness and determination, worthy of a true hero,” the ministry said.
Authorities called the number on the boy’s hand and were able to contact his relatives in Slovakia, who later picked him up.
The ministry, which also posted photos of the child, said “the whole story ended well”.
Images show the 11-year-old wearing a beanie and a heavy winter coat while standing in front of a table stocked with drinks and food.
They also capture the phone number scribbled in blue ink on the back of his hand.
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The ministry’s Facebook post has attracted more than 7000 likes and almost 500 comments from stunned people around the world.
“So brave, so heartbreaking to see that he had to do this,” one woman wrote.
“Sweet child, I hope you reunite with your parents really soon. I’m so sorry you have to go through this,” another said.
“What courage. Brave boy,” a woman added.
“Wow, unbelievable what his parents have to go through. I can’t imagine the pain of giving up a baby. What a brave boy,” a fourth person wrote.
Numerous people said they are praying for the end of “this rampage” so he can be reunited with his mum and dad.
Russian troops control nuclear power plant staff
Zaporizhzhia, the area where the boy is from, is home to Europe's largest nuclear power plant.
It was seized by Russian troops last week after an adjacent training facility was set on fire.
The fire was quickly extinguished and there was no damage to reactors or release of radioactive material, but the incident raised concerns about the potentially catastrophic consequences should the conflict damage one of the country's four operating nuclear power plants.
Russian forces that seized the plant have now placed staff running the facility under their command and restricted communications with the outside world, the United Nations nuclear watchdog says.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was “extremely concerned” about developments at Zaporizhzhia, citing information from Ukraine's nuclear regulator.
"Ukraine reports that any action of plant management –– including measures related to the technical operation of the six reactor units — requires prior approval by the Russian commander," the IAEA said in a statement.
"In a second serious development, Ukraine has reported that the Russian forces at the site have switched off some mobile networks and the internet so that reliable information from the site cannot be obtained through the normal channels of communication," it added.
More than 200 people there, both technical staff and guards, have not left since February 23, the day before it was seized, the IAEA said, despite the UN agency's calls for the technical staff to be rotated out on safety grounds.
with Reuters
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