Ukraine recovers 11 more children from Russian-occupied territories

The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, shared the news on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.

“As part of President Zelensky’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, and through the efforts of the Ombudsman’s Office with the mediation of the State of Qatar, 11 children have been brought back to Ukraine,” Lubinets said.

He noted that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 1,453 children have been returned from the occupied territories and Russia.

The youngest of the children brought back in this group is 10 years old, and the oldest is 17.

Lubinets also shared one family’s story.

“The mother of a 13-year-old girl was returned from enemy captivity in April 2023. Her daughter had remained in the occupied Donetsk region with her grandmother. The girl actively sought ways to reunite with her mother. Thanks to dedicated efforts, we were able to make that reunion possible. For the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion, mother and daughter were able to see each other again,” he wrote.

He also noted the return of five children from a single family. Their parents had been stripped of parental rights, and during intense fighting in their region, the children’s guardian took them to Russia.

“For some time, there was no information about the children’s whereabouts. Eventually, they managed to contact their sister in Ukraine and expressed a desire to return home. The large family is now reunited,” the ombudsman said.

He stressed that such outcomes are the result of complex, multi-level teamwork.

Lubinets expressed gratitude to the State of Qatar for its role in helping reunite Ukrainian families.

“Ukraine will continue working to ensure that all our citizens can come home. If you have any information about a deported or forcibly displaced child, please contact the Ombudsman’s Office immediately,” he said.

On July 18, another group of teenagers was rescued from occupation. They had been targeted by Russian security services for refusing to comply with rules imposed by the occupying authorities.