Seven Ukrainian children, including six boys and one girl, have managed to return home and reunite with their families after being forcibly taken by Russia. This event is the result of multi-level diplomatic efforts and humanitarian support from international partners.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Support from the international community
In a statement released by the White House, First Lady of the United States Melania Trump emphasized the unwavering commitment to the process of returning children to their families. She highlighted the importance of diplomatic efforts from both sides in achieving progress and reported on the provision of humanitarian aid from the U.S. aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the family reunification initiative.
“My commitment to ensuring the safe return of children to their families in this region is steadfast. I greatly appreciate the leadership and persistent diplomacy of Russia and Ukraine in the matter of reuniting children and families. Their efforts to establish connections have created a real environment for cooperation – a foundation for optimism. This cooperation will continue to drive the process forward in the next stage,” stated First Lady Melania Trump in a statement released by the White House.
Melania Trump also expressed hope that joint efforts in the future would contribute to stability in the region and help bring home even more children.
Scale of deportations and international response
According to official data, during the full-scale invasion, over 20,000 Ukrainian children were forcibly taken to Russia or found themselves in occupied territories. The Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, does not rule out that Russia has illegally taken around 150,000 children from Ukraine, while the Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Daria Gerasimchuk, estimates this number to be between 200,000 and 300,000.
In September, President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that thanks to the Bring Kids Back UA initiative and support from international partners, 1,625 Ukrainian children have already been returned to their homeland.
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and Children’s Ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova on suspicion of war crimes related to the forced deportation and displacement of the Ukrainian population, including children, from occupied territories.
Russian Children’s Ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova stated in the summer of 2023 that since the beginning of the invasion, Russia has “accepted” about 4.8 million Ukrainians, of whom over 700,000 are children. According to her, most minors allegedly arrived with relatives.