Ukraine war_ ‘Hero’ boy, 11, travels almost 700 miles alone to Slovakia

Ukraine war_ ‘Hero’ boy, 11, travels almost 700 miles alone to Slovakia An 11-year-old boy been hailed a ‘hero’ as he travelled 700 miles alone to Slovakia from Ukraine. Children buried in maternity ward rubble after Russian shelling in Mariupol traps 400,000 It is the third time in less than a week that a ceasefire to let Mariupol residents evacuate has been allegedly violated by Russia Children buried in maternity ward rubble after Russian shelling in Mariupol traps 400,000 with passport and plastic bag The boy’s mother said she had to tell her child to go alone as she was too ill to leave and had to look after her own mother An 11-year-old boy has been hailed a ‘hero’ as he travelled 700 miles alone to Slovakia to flee the war in Ukraine (Photo: Slovakia Interior Ministry/ Facebook) The mother of an 11-year-old Ukrainian boy who travelled 700 miles to Slovakia solo to flee the violence back at home has said she is grateful to Slovakian authorities for “saving my child’s life”. Yulia Pisetskaya, from the south-east of Ukraine, said she had told her son to flee without her as she needed to stay behind because she was unwell and had to care for her disabled mother, who lives right next to a nuclear power plant “that the Russians are shooting at”. The boy, who was named as Hassan by Slovakia’s interior ministry, got on a train with just a passport, a plastic bag and the telephone number of relatives in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava scribbled on his hand. They wrote: “He won everyone over with his smile, fearlessness and determination, worthy of a true hero,” adding that Slovakian volunteers had “kept him warm and provided him with food and drink, which they packed for his next trip”. In a Facebook video message posted on Saturday, his mother said: “I am very grateful that they saved the life of my child. “In your small country, there are people with big hearts.” She added: “I am a widow and I have more children. 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. I couldn’t leave my mother – she can’t move on her own.” Ms Pisetskaya is understood to live right next to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe. The plant was seized last week by Russian troops as part of their land, air and sea invasion of Ukraine. Just like Twelve-year-old Fanny and her sisters get separated from their family in Nazi-occupied France and go to a boarding school in Italy. They later flee to Switzerland when the situation gets worse. Just like Fanny led the eight children across the Swizz boarder by foot, train and trucks, caught by Nazi Collaborators. What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that Fanny's Journey focuses most of its 94 minutes on the courage and ingenuity of a group of children fending for themselves as they hide from Germans during World War II. Jewish children but also the many Christians who tried to help save them along the way. Never far from the surface is the violent threat of armed German soldiers and their French collaborators looking for Jews. Germans soldiers shoot at escaping children. French police officers hold Jewish children without food or water, pressing them to inform on adults who tried to help them. The bodies of hanged resistance soldiers are seen. Children walk on through no-man's-land hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. The movie will present great opportunities for discussions about World War II and the ugliness and ignorance at the heart of prejudice. Although the primary actors range from 6 to around 12, younger viewers may find the suspense and danger too intense. Reported by Claire Gilbody-Dickerson I News London