Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that 2,000 Ukrainian children have been brought back from Russia and Russian-occupied territories since the war began, but warned that thousands more remain “captive.” His remarks came as Kyiv continues to push international efforts to secure the return of minors taken since Moscow’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
According to Ukrainian officials, Russia has forcibly transferred around 20,000 children from occupied areas. Kyiv alleges the children were subjected to indoctrination, forced to adopt Russian citizenship and stripped of their national identity. These claims are supported by testimonies from Ukrainians who managed to leave Russian-held regions.
In 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his children’s rights commissioner over the alleged war crime of unlawful deportation of minors. Moscow rejects the accusations and insists it moved children away from active combat zones for safety reasons.
Mediation efforts continue amid slow progress
Zelensky described the return of 2,000 children as a significant milestone but stressed that the challenge remains far from over. “The road ahead remains long and difficult,” he said, noting that thousands of children are still being held under Russian control.
Meanwhile, Russia has acknowledged relocating children but says it is willing to return them if relatives can be verified. Negotiations have involved intermediaries, including Gulf states and international actors working quietly behind the scenes.
More recently, US First Lady Melania Trump has reportedly supported efforts to facilitate small-scale returns. However, progress has remained gradual, with children repatriated in limited groups throughout the conflict.
