Ukrainian Football Club Dynamo Kyiv Joins “Bring Kids Back UA” Initiative to Return Abducted Children

On October 5, 2025, at a Ukrainian Premier League football match held at the Valeriy Lobanovskyi Stadium in Kyiv, children who were rescued from Russian deportation or liberated from temporarily occupied territories walked onto the field alongside Dynamo Kyiv players.

“For us, football has always been more than a game. It’s a responsibility to our society and our children. We will do everything to help bring Ukrainian children home, because they are the future of our country. We are convinced that children must grow up at home—in their own country, in their families, under a peaceful sky,” said Dmytro Brif, General Director of FC Dynamo Kyiv.

The event marked the club’s official entry into President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s “Bring Kids Back UA” initiative, which focuses on repatriating Ukrainian children unlawfully taken by Russia.

Before kickoff, the children—many of whom endured forced displacement—symbolically took to the field with the team, underscoring one of the gravest consequences of the war: the abduction of Ukrainian minors.

Dynamo Kyiv will contribute by offering rehabilitative and recreational opportunities for returned children, using sport as a means of recovery and reintegration. The club also plans to raise awareness of the abduction issue among its millions of supporters.

“Bring Kids Back UA” is a presidential initiative aimed at returning Ukrainian children illegally deported to Russia. It unites diplomatic, legal, and humanitarian efforts, engages international partners, documents war crimes, and supports children’s reintegration after their return.

Earlier, it was reported that 17 Ukrainian children and teenagers were safely returned from Russian-occupied territories under the “Bring Kids Back UA” initiative.

Support our frontline reporters

We report from the front lines to show the reality of war. Your support helps us stay there and tell the stories that matter.

DONATE NOW