Ukraine brings back 11 more children from temporarily occupied territories and Russia

This was reported by Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights.

The Ombudsman shared two touching stories of reunification:

A mother from captivity, a daughter from occupation

The mother of a 13-year-old girl was released from Russian captivity back in April 2023, while the child remained in the occupied part of Donetsk region with her grandmother. Thanks to the tireless work of Ukrainian services, the girl was able to return and reunite with her mother — their first meeting since the start of the full-scale war.

Five siblings reunited

Another successful case involved a family with five children. After the parents were deprived of custody and the legal guardian was evacuated to Russia during active fighting, the children’s whereabouts remained unknown for a long time. However, contact was established with their older sister in Ukraine, making it possible to organize their return. Now, the siblings are together again.

Dmytro Lubinets emphasized that such returns are the result of complex, multi-layered efforts, involving legal assistance, documentation, psychological support, and diplomatic engagement.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 1,453 children have been successfully returned to Ukraine. Among the recently returned, the youngest is 10 years old, and the oldest is 17.

“I’m grateful to our steadfast partner — the State of Qatar — for their support in reuniting families. This is truly an honorable and noble mission,” the Ombudsman added.