Zelensky: Real number of children killed by Russia in Ukraine unknown

The Head of State said this in an interview with The Times of India, Ukrinform reports.

“No one knows the real number of children killed today. Unfortunately, we can state for sure that tens of thousands of children have been deported and stolen. We will know how many of them were killed after the war,” Zelensky said.

According to him, tens of thousands of children had their names and surnames changed, were forced to speak a different language, and many of those who were teenagers were sent to war against their own country.

“Unfortunately, while tens of thousands were stolen, we have returned less than a thousand,” the President said.

He added that all Ukrainian children suffer from the war.

“There were attacks on schools and universities, children were wounded, losing limbs, many children were killed. Many children went abroad with their mothers. You know that there are more than 7 million Ukrainians abroad now. Most of this number are children,” Zelensky said.

As Ukrinform reported, in October last year, at a meeting of national security and foreign policy advisers, representatives of Canada proposed to create a coalition of countries that would facilitate the return of Ukrainian children deported by Russia. The initiative was a continuation of the Bring Kids Back UA program.

In February, the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children began its work and presented a framework document for its activities at a meeting in Kyiv. It is led by Ukraine and Canada.