1,002 Ukrainian Children Returned Home, Thousands More Remain in Russia

Ukraine has successfully brought back 1,002 children from Russian territory and temporarily occupied areas, yet nearly 20,000 more remain in Russian-controlled areas where they have been forcibly relocated.

This was reported by Radio Svoboda citing Dmytro Lubinets’s commentary, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, on November 12 in Brussels.

According to the Ombudsman, Russia has forcibly relocated 19,546 children, though the actual number could be much higher.

"They provide no information about Ukrainian children. 1.5 million Ukrainian children are living in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. How many of them have already been deported by Russia? We can only guess... But I am convinced that the number of children deported by the Russian Federation will continue to rise," noted Lubinets.

Lubinets noted that Ukraine, with the help of international partners, has brought back 1,002 children from the territory of the Russian Federation and temporarily occupied lands.

"First and foremost, our international partners are helping us. I am especially pleased that Qatar has become our primary partner in the effort to bring Ukrainian children home… Their support has been invaluable. As a result, you can see a steady increase in the number of Ukrainian children we've managed to return from the Russian Federation and from temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine," Lubinets stated.

On October 28th, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he believes that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, given his influence, could personally call Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin and help return at least some of the forcibly deported Ukrainian children.