Over 2,100 abducted children returned to Ukraine since launch of Bring Kids Back UA, says Zelensky

In total, since the launch of the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, more than 2,100 Ukrainian children abducted by Russia have been returned, 150 of them since the beginning of this year.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this following a report by representatives of the Bring Kids Back UA team, Oleksandr Bevz and Maksym Maksymov, on the initiative’s work, Ukrinform reports, citing the president’s Telegram channel.

Photo: Office of the President

“In total, since the start of the initiative, more than 2,100 Ukrainian children abducted by Russia have been brought back. Of them, 150 have been returned since the beginning of this year. I thank all partners who are helping us in this effort,” he wrote.

According to Zelensky, the discussion specifically addressed support for our efforts within international organizations.

“Recently, for the first time at the UN level, the deportation and forced transfer of our children was classified as a crime against humanity. This is very important, and this work must continue,” he noted.

The president reported that preparations are underway for a ministerial-level meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, scheduled for May 11 in Brussels.

“We are counting on broad participation, concrete decisions, and practical support from our partners,” the president added.

Read also: Ukraine returns another group of children from Russian-occupied Kherson region

As reported by Ukrinform, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol)  has provided the Ukrainian authorities with information regarding forcibly displaced Ukrainian children.

Photo: Bring Kids Back UA