Vlad Buriak

Vlad Buriak, now 20 years old, is a Ukrainian survivor who was forcibly detained by Russian forces at a checkpoint in Vasilivka while trying to evacuate from Melitopol during the early weeks of the Russian invasion. At the age of 16, he was subjected to harrowing experiences, including being forced to clean torture chambers used against civilians and soldiers. After 90 days of captivity filled with false accusations and brutality, he managed to escape and return to Ukraine, highlighting the plight of thousands of Ukrainian children who have faced similar fates amid the ongoing conflict.