The Ombudsman of Ukraine, Dmytro Lubinets, reported that within the framework of reintegration measures, it was possible to facilitate the return of 9 children from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, and two more from the territory of the Russian Federation.
Points of attention
- Ukraine's Ombudsman successfully facilitated the return of 11 children from temporarily occupied territories and Russia, protecting them from serious risks posed by the occupation regime.
- International partners collaborated with Ukraine to reunite children with their families, providing necessary support in organizational and legal matters.
- The children, aged 2 to 17, faced persecution, intimidation, and denial of basic rights while in the temporarily occupied territories, with some families living under constant pressure due to their pro-Ukrainian stance.
11 children from TOT and Russia returned to Ukraine
The Ombudsman's Office, in cooperation with international partners and partner organizations, has taken the necessary measures to reunite children with their families, including support in organizational and legal matters.
The children's ages range from 2 to 17. While in the TOT, the families lived under constant pressure from the occupation regime due to their pro-Ukrainian stance, were subjected to persecution, intimidation, and deprivation of basic rights, which created serious risks for their children.
Among those returned from the occupation is a pregnant woman with a small child. The occupation authorities systematically intimidated the family and denied them medical care due to the lack of Russian documents. After returning to the territory controlled by the Government of Ukraine, the woman finally received all the necessary medical care. And just a few days after her return, she gave birth to a girl.
They also returned an 11-year-old boy whose father was in Russian captivity. The boy and his mother had been in the TOT all this time. Therefore, they tried to behave very carefully, as they were wary of any attention from the occupying authorities.
After her husband was released from captivity, the woman turned to the Ombudsman's Office with a request to help her leave the TOT. As a result, the family is in the territory controlled by Ukraine and will soon be reunited.
I sincerely thank our international partners and partner organizations for their help and support! This is incredibly valuable — children will be able to grow up in a free Ukraine.
Dmytro Lubinets
Ombudsman of Ukraine
To better understand the topic of Russia's abduction of Ukrainian children, watch the documentary "Marred Childhood," created by the Ukrainian independent media and video production company Online.UA.
