Ukraine brings back large group of children from occupied territories
Photo: Ukraine has returned a large group of children from occupation (Getty Images)
Ukraine has managed to return a large group of children and teenagers from Russian-occupied territories as part of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, according to Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine.
According to Yermak, among those returned were:
- A 10-year-old girl who was bullied by classmates because of her Ukrainian origin, while her younger brothers in kindergarten were forced to sing Russian songs and collect money for the Russian army;
- A 7-year-old girl and her 2-year-old brother, who lost their mother due to the inaction of Russian doctors, while local authorities tried to send them to an orphanage despite having relatives;
- A 19-year-old young man who was tortured and threatened with execution by Russian soldiers because one of his relatives served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After turning 18, he was placed on the Russian military register.
Yermak noted that all the children are now safe, receiving the necessary support, help with documents, and a chance to start a new life in free Ukraine.
"Grateful to Save Ukraine, the Joint Center of the Security Service of Ukraine for the Coordination of the Search and Release of Prisoners of War and Illegally Detained Persons, and to all partners who helped rescue these children. We are fulfilling the President’s mission — to bring every Ukrainian child home," Yermak emphasized.
Deportation of Ukrainian children
As previously reported by the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, since the start of its full-scale invasion, Russia has deported more than 19,500 children from Ukraine.
According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine has managed to bring back more than 1,600 children from Russia thanks to the Bring Kids Back UA initiative.
The deportation of Ukrainian children was the main reason the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova.
Recently, reports indicated that the number of countries willing to help return Ukrainian children deported to Russia has grown. This also includes children currently living in occupied territories.
Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will soon share data on abducted children with international partners. The first list, he said, will soon be on the desks of all world leaders.
