Return of Ukrainian children from Russia: Lithuanian PM announces new initiative in Kyiv

She announced this at at a joint briefing with her Ukrainian counterpart Yulia Svyrydenko, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

Ruginiene said it was deeply painful for her to witness how children, the most vulnerable members of society, were suffering as a result of Russia's war against Ukraine. She stressed that the issue was of great personal importance to her, recalling Lithuania's own history of Soviet deportations to Siberia, and explained that this was why she had proposed the initiative during her visit to Kyiv.

According to the prime minister, the program, titled "Children First. Protecting Ukraine's Future," is designed to assist children and families affected by the war, drawing on Lithuania's experience in child protection and rehabilitation. She noted that she would serve as patron of the initiative.

Ruginiene added that Lithuania, together with the Ukrainian authorities, would do everything possible to alleviate the consequences of the horrors endured by Ukrainian children who had been abducted and forcibly taken to Russia.

Earlier, Lithuanian Health Ministry adviser Skirmantas Krunkaitis had stated that plans were in place to provide rehabilitation and psychiatric services to Ukrainian children who had been forcibly deported to Russia and later returned home.

Photo: D. Umbraso / LRT nuotr.