800 Ukrainian Children Rescued out of 20,000 Abducted by Russia

According to Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk Ukraine has managed to bring back approximately 800 children who were abducted by Russia out of an estimated 20,000. She said this in an interview with Ukrainian media published on June 23.

"We do not know the exact number of children who were taken away. We have managed to establish that it is about 20,000 children, of whom 800 have already been returned," Vereshchuk said.

"There are also cases when children and their guardians return (from Russia) to third countries. This is an ongoing process."

Ukrainian authorities are actively seeking information on these children through European and other global institutions.

Vereshchuk called for strict sanctions from the international community to compel Russia to face tangible consequences for its actions. She stressed that stronger sanctions could expedite the process of returning abducted Ukrainian children.

Reports suggest that some abducted Ukrainian children may have been placed for adoption through a government-affiliated adoption platform in Russia. Those deported to Russia are reportedly subjected to systematic re-education efforts by Russian authorities.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant on March 17, 2023, for Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova and Russian self-proclaimed President Vladimir Putin due to the deportation of Ukrainian children.