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Ukraine Says Russia Abducted 19,546 Children, First Lady Zelenska Reports 1,859 Rescued
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Ukraine has so far brought back 1,859 Ukrainian children who were abducted by Russia, First Lady Olena Zelenska told a high-level meeting in Paris held under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, according to the Kyiv Independent on December 2.
Citing Ukraine’s national “Children of War” database, the Kyiv Independent reported that at least 19,546 Ukrainian children have been taken from temporarily occupied territories to Russia or Russian-controlled areas since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
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Zelenska noted that Ukraine and its partners have created an International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, which now includes 42 countries as well as the European Union, the Council of Europe and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
She also stressed that “after a child physically returns home, psychological and social return is still required,” adding that Ukraine is developing mental-health programs and has introduced state assistance for every returned child.
According to the report, the meeting also outlined the main workstreams of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, including locating and identifying deported children, organizing their return, providing psychological support to families, and designing reintegration and rehabilitation models in collaboration with international partners.
Kyiv is seeking to expand international involvement in efforts to bring abducted children home and support them after their return.
Earlier, it was reported that the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, created under the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, issued a joint statement by 38 countries together with the European Union and the Council of Europe demanding that Russia immediately and unconditionally return abducted Ukrainian children.
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