Ukraine simplifies return of young people from Russian-occupied territories

According to Ukrinform, Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko announced the initiative on Telegram.

"The government is launching a one-year pilot project that will allow identity certificates for return to Ukraine to be issued to citizens born after August 24, 1991, in temporarily occupied territories, even if information about them is absent from state registries," Svyrydenko said.

The document can be obtained through designated Ukrainian diplomatic missions abroad, including in Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan and other countries. State registries will be used to establish a person's identity, and if that is insufficient, confirmation from close relatives, including via video link, may be used.

Svyrydenko stressed that the decision covers people who, due to the occupation, have been left without valid Ukrainian documents and have effectively lost the ability to legally return to Ukraine.

The prime minister clarified that the certificate can be obtained free of charge at the designated diplomatic missions. For children under the age of 16, applications may be submitted by parents or legal guardians.

According to Svyrydenko, in practical terms this means that more Ukrainian citizens will be able to leave occupied territories or Russia and return to government-controlled areas of Ukraine.

The state is creating a clear and accessible mechanism for this purpose that will function even in difficult life circumstances, she said.

Photo: Bring Kids Back UA