On 6 December, eight more children were returned home to Ukraine, the Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak reported. Among them are four girls and four boys aged 8 to 18.
"Effective interaction between the Office team and the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets within the framework of the Presidential Action Plan Bring Kids Back UA. We are grateful to the State of Qatar and UNICEF for their involvement in the process of returning deported children and those who ended up in the TOT," added Yermak.
How many Ukrainian children have been abducted by Russia
- Russians have been practising the illegal transfer and deportation of our children since 2014. This is one of the five main signs of genocide, so the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine is working to prove this component of the crime.
- After 24 February 2022, the practice of removals followed by rapid "adoption" or placement in Russian families gained momentum. Only officially, by the end of February 2023, the occupiers had illegally deported more than 16,000 children. The actual number is much higher, but it is impossible to establish exact figures at this time.
- In March, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and the Russian Ombudsman for Children's Rights. They are accused of illegally deporting children and transferring them from the occupied territories of Ukraine to the territory of the Russian Federation.
Which countries are helping to return young Ukrainians
- Qatar is actively involved in this process. With its mediation, many children have already been returned. Six children have recently been returned.
- Canada, together with Ukraine, is ready to lead a coalition of countries that will facilitate the return of Ukrainian children.
- Last month, the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, had a telephone conversation with the Secretary of Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, on this issue.
- The PACE Bureau approved the composition of a special committee that will study violations of the rights of Ukrainian children by the occupiers. The committee will also work on the problem of abductions of children by Russia.