Ukraine identifies 400 locations in Russia holding kidnapped Ukrainian children
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (facebook.com/zelenskyy.official)
The Ukrainian side has identified about 400 locations in Russia where kidnapped Ukrainian children are being held, according to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"We have found about 400 locations in Russia where kidnapped children are held. Every day we find more and more children. But this is not only about how they were abducted – it is about how to find them. And this is very complex work," Zelenskyy said.
He also noted that Ukraine is cooperating with Qatar, the Vatican, and other countries to return the children.
According to him, over 1,600 children have already been returned, but the total number of children kidnapped in Russia is estimated at approximately 19,500.
The President emphasized the importance of involving as many global leaders and public figures as possible in the process of returning children.
He thanked the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, who, according to him, helped in returning some of the children.
"It is very important to involve as many leaders and prominent people as possible – not only presidents and prime ministers. I truly believe that the meeting between the First Ladies of the US and Ukraine was important," Zelenskyy said.
Kidnapping of children by Russians
Russia is massively kidnapping Ukrainian children from the occupied territories. According to Ukraine and international organizations, over 19,000 children have been deported, but the actual number is significantly higher.
Children are taken from orphanages, hospitals, and boarding schools, or separated from their parents during "filtering" procedures. They are then sent to various regions of Russia, where they are often adopted and forcibly given Russian citizenship.
Recently, it became known that hearings will be held in the United States Senate regarding the mass abductions of Ukrainian children by Russia.
Earlier, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham threatened that if Russia does not return all illegally deported Ukrainian children, he would initiate a bill to recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.
It was also reported that Melania Trump sent a letter to Russian leader Vladimir Putin through her husband, Donald Trump, urging him to protect the children.
