Six children escape occupied Kherson, reunite with families in Ukraine
Six children, aged between 5 and 12, have safely returned to government-controlled territory from the occupied region of Kherson Oblast, announced regional governor Oleksandr Prokhudin on May 14.
"Due to the threat of the children being sent for so-called 'rehabilitation,' their parents decided to leave the occupation," Prokhudin explained in his statement. He also highlighted disturbing incidents: "There were cases when children were taken away and not returned home."
Read also: Russian occupiers aim to brainwash Ukrainian children into changing their self-identity - NRC
The successful return of these children was facilitated by volunteers from the Save Ukraine organization, the governor noted.
Read also: Ukrainian children return from Russia or Europe to family-based care only, says Ukrainian Ombudsman
Since the start of the year, a total of 84 children have been brought back from the territories under temporary occupation in Kherson Oblast.
Return of Ukrainian children
Ukraine has returned 517 illegally abducted children and 2,828 adults from Russia, including only 150 civilians, Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, reported during the fourth meeting of the Peace Formula advisers in Davos on Jan. 14, 2024.
The illegal abduction of children led to the issuance of arrest warrants in March 2023 for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova.
Read also: Kyiv reports Russia’s plans to abduct children from occupied Ukrainian territories
Canada and Ukraine will create a coalition to bring home abducted Ukrainian children, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly announced during a visit to Kyiv on Feb. 2.
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