11-year-old boy crosses Ukraine border alone with backpack, phone number scribbled on hand

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of heartbreaking accounts of separation and loss have surfaced on social media every day. The heartwrenching story of an 11-year-old Ukrainian boy who crossed the border alone, with only a backpack and a phone number scribbled on the back of his hand, was shared by Slovakian police.

According to reports, the boy entered Slovakia after travelling alone to the border from Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region. Warmly dressed but alone, he informed authorities that his parents had to return to Ukraine. Slovakia's police force said that the child only had a passport, a small backpack, and a phone number written on his hand.

According to the post, volunteers took care of the boy once he crossed into Slovakia. He was also given food and drinks. Despite his ordeal, photos show the boy smiling and making a peace sign with other volunteers.

According to the statement, the information written on the boy's hand and a piece of paper folded in his passport allowed border officials to contact the boy's relatives in Slovakia, who were then able to come and collect him. "He won everyone over with his smile, fearlessness, and determination worthy of a true hero," the statement added. It is unclear why the boy was alone.

According to the UN, more than 1.2 million refugees have fled Ukraine since February 24, as of March 3. The majority of the 1,209,976 refugees who fled, 53.7 per cent, crossed into Poland. Others have gone to Hungary, Slovakia, Moldova, and Romania, among others.

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• Slovakia
• Russia
• Ukraine
• Russia Ukraine crisis
• invasion