At least 707 children have died in Ukraine as a result of Russian aggression since February 2022. The youngest child was only two days old when she was born and died in a maternity hospital.
Another 2 548 Ukrainian children were injured, and 2,318 are missing.
Such data were provided by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets on the International Day of Innocent Children — Victims of Aggression, which is celebrated on June 4.
Lubinets noted that these figures could be higher, as Ukraine does not have data from temporarily occupied territories. In addition, thousands of Ukrainian children have been deported to Russia.
"Every death is a child whose future was taken away. Russia must bear responsibility for these crimes," Zelensky stressed.
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said that Ukraine is currently investigating more than 6 000 criminal cases related to crimes against children and childhood protection committed as a result of Russian aggression. Suspicions have already been announced against 234 Russian servicemen, and indictments have been sent to court against 108.
Kravchenko cited three cases where Ukrainian children died as a result of massive Russian shelling:
- Vinnytsia, July 14, 2022 — “Kalibr” missiles strike the city center. Three children were killed.
- Dnipro, January 14, 2023 — a rocket destroyed a residential building. Six children died.
- Kyiv, July 8, 2024 — targeted attack on the “Okhmatdyt” childrenʼs hospital.
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