Zelensky: Ukraine has already managed to return 1 625 children abducted by Russia

Thanks to the “Bring Kids Back UA” initiative, 1 625 abducted Ukrainian children were returned to Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated this during a speech at a meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, which is taking place on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 23, Suspilne reports.

"Thanks to our ʼBring Kids Back UAʼ initiative and the support of partners, 1,625 children have already been returned to Ukraine. Each return is a success and a saved child, but also a challenge, because the child must be reintegrated and protected from the trauma they have gone through," Zelensky said.

He also reported that Ukraine is launching a tracking mechanism to collect all data on Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.

Zelensky also recalled that during the negotiations in Turkey, the Ukrainian delegation handed over to Russia a list with the names of 339 abducted children, but so far they have not received any response or data about them.

"So far, Russia has done almost nothing. It hasnʼt even provided real information about these children. They refuse to provide real information to us and international organizations," the head of state noted.

• The deportation of Ukrainian children is one of Russiaʼs war crimes, for which the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Putin and the Russian Childrenʼs Ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova. At least 19 546 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia, and fewer than 400 have been returned. Ukraine also has evidence that Belarus is involved in the deportation of Ukrainian children.

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