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Zelenskyy: Bring Kids Back UA Returns Over 2,100 Ukrainian Children Taken by Russia
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that over 2,100 Ukrainian children who had been forcibly taken by Russia have been successfully returned as part of the "Bring Kids Back UA" initiative.
According to the president’s post in Telegram on April 22, this includes 150 children who have been repatriated since the beginning of 2026.
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The figures were shared following a report presented by initiative representatives Oleksandr Bevz and Maksym Maksymov, detailing the progress of the effort. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the support of international partners involved in the operation.
“Overall, more than 2,100 Ukrainian children, who were abducted by Russia, have been brought back. Of those, 150 have been returned since the beginning of this year. I thank all the partners who help us in this effort,” Zelenskyy said his post on Telegram.
The president also emphasized the significance of international support, particularly from global organizations, in their ongoing efforts. Recently, for the first time, the United Nations classified the forced deportation and relocation of Ukrainian children as a crime against humanity.
“The classification of these actions as crimes against humanity at the UN level is incredibly significant. This is vital, and we must continue this effort,” he noted.
Zelenskyy further informed that preparations are underway for a meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, which will take place at the ministerial level in Brussels on May 11.
“We are expecting wide representation, concrete decisions, and practical support from our partners,” he added.
Just a week earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with Vanessa Fraser, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, to discuss the ongoing issue of Ukrainian children forcibly deported by Russia and the need for stronger international accountability.
Sybiha emphasized that a lasting peace cannot be achieved without the return of Ukrainian children who have been taken from occupied areas.
“Russia is systematically changing Ukrainian children’s documents, placing them in foster families, including in remote regions of Russia. Moreover, it is attempting to erase their identity by different means. Even more cynically, it is instrumentalizing children in this war — using them as leverage in negotiations,” Sybiha said in a post on X.
The foreign minister condemned Russia’s actions as serious violations of international humanitarian law and described them as war crimes.
Meanwhile, the United States has unveiled a new $25 million aid program aimed at supporting President Donald Trump’s mission to foster lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine.
This funding is specifically allocated to assist in the return and rehabilitation of Ukrainian children forcibly relocated to Russian-controlled territories. Developed in collaboration with the US Congress, the initiative is focused on identifying, repatriating, and providing care for children who have been separated from their families and communities since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
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