Ukraine returns four more children from Russian captivity

Our children are returning home to their families. These are a 17-year-old girl and three boys – six, three and nine years old, Yermak said.

The head of the Office told three stories about kidnapping.

First story

Before the war unleashed, the boy, who had congenital health problems, was in a hospital in the Kherson region, where he was being prepared for surgery.

Due to the invasion, his parents had to evacuate, but the boy was captured. Together with other children, he was forcibly taken to occupied Crimea.

Second story

The mother and son have not seen each other since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war. They lived in the Kherson region, but when the war began, the woman joined her military unit. Her minor son stayed at home with his grandparents.

When Russia captured the Kherson region, the mother could not evacuate her son and them was held hostage. Later the woman was released and started looking for her son.

Third story

Another boy ended up in Russia's Bryansk region, in an orphanage. His grandmother did not give up, and together with officials she searched for the child. The family was reunited.

Russia has been deporting Ukrainian children from the occupied territories on a massive scale.

They are taken to Crimea, Russia, or Belarus, allegedly for "rehabilitation" or to rest in camps.

So far, 386 children have been returned to Ukraine.

Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska said in June that Russia had abducted about 19,500 children The process of returning them is complicated and lengthy, as the Russians refuse to cooperate.