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Ukraine Returns Home 2,058 Children Under “Bring Kids Back UA” Initiative
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Ukraine continues to receive international support in its efforts to bring back deported children, with 38 countries, the Council of Europe, and the European Union participating in the process.
As of March 25, a total of 2,058 children have been returned to Ukraine, according to the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Ombudsman’s Office, which confirmed the numbers in response to an inquiry from Ukrinform.
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“The ‘Bring Kids Back UA’ initiative continues to unite a large number of countries for the return of deported children. As of February-March 2026, active support is provided by 38 countries, as well as the Council of Europe and the European Union. Thanks to this strategic initiative, as of March 25, 2026, 2,058 children have been returned to Ukraine,” the Secretariat stated.
In addition to the support from European nations, Ukraine has continued to receive international assistance in efforts to repatriate prisoners of war, illegally deported individuals, and forcibly displaced persons, including children. This support is manifested in the form of humanitarian missions, diplomatic pressure, and mediation by partner countries in negotiations.
The Office of the Ombudsman also noted the significant role of the United States in supporting the repatriation of Ukrainian children. Both the US government and Congress, as well as first lady Jill Biden, American human rights institutions, and civil society, have been pivotal in advancing the humanitarian effort. Under the direct involvement of the US first lady, three recent groups of 19 children were successfully brought back to Ukraine.
An independent United Nations commission investigating human rights violations in Ukraine has officially categorized the deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia as both crimes against humanity and war crimes.
“Compelling evidence regarding the deportation and transfer of 1,205 children from five Ukrainian regions, verified by the Commission, led to the conclusion that these actions constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes, specifically the deportation and forcible transfer of children,” the report states.
The UN also highlighted that Russian authorities consistently failed to notify parents or legal guardians of their children’s locations, keeping them under pressure and obstructing their return.
Instead of establishing a process for the children's return, Russian forces aimed to place them in long-term care with families or institutions within Russia. Throughout 2022, Russian officials claimed that adoption by Russian families was the best solution for these children.
Additionally, Ukraine has gathered evidence of 20,000 Ukrainian children who have been forcibly relocated or deported by Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets stated that, under international humanitarian law, all Ukrainian children currently in Russia are regarded as victims of forced relocation or deportation.
He emphasized that Russia is using these children as a “mobilization resource” and pointed out that these actions are part of a larger Russian strategy that seeks to commit genocide against the Ukrainian population.
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