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11-year-old boy travels more than 600 miles alone from Ukraine to Slovakia

Slovakia Russia Ukraine War
Posted at 3:04 PM, Mar 08, 2022
and last updated 2022-03-18 15:39:46-04

As Ukrainians continue to flee their country as Russia attacks, one of those refugees was an 11-year-old boy who escaped to Slovakia by himself.

The Slovak Embassy in the United Kingdom posted on its Facebook page about the child, who traveled 621 miles from Zaporizhia with only a plastic bag, passport, and a telephone number written on his hand.

According to the post, volunteers took the child somewhere to get heat, as well as food and water as he prepared for his next journey.

"He conquered everyone with his smile, fearlessness and determination of a real hero," said a Slovak Interior Ministry representative, according to the post.

Officials said thanks to the phone number on his hand and a piece of paper with him, they were able to contact a family relative, who came for him.

"The whole story ended well," officials said, according to the Facebook post.

The boy's mother was also contacted, who said she was "very grateful that they saved the life of my child," according to the post.

On Tuesday, the United Nations said that more than 2 million people have fled Ukraine since Russia invaded the country.