Ukraine's ombudsman denies alleged Ukraine-Russia-Qatar child exchange agreement
The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, has refuted claims made by a foreign media outlet regarding a supposed agreement between Ukraine, Russia, and Qatar for the exchange of children. He labeled these statements as a clear promotion of Russian narratives and affirmed that no such agreement exists.
In a post on Telegram, Lubinets stated that Qatar acts as a mediator in the process of returning Ukrainian children who have been illegally deported or forcibly displaced, for which Ukraine expresses deep gratitude.
Lubinets also stressed that Ukraine has neither abducted nor retained Russian children and does not obstruct their return to Russia. "International humanitarian law does not recognize a process like the exchange of children. What level of cynicism must one reach to propose such a mechanism for the return of Ukrainian children from deportation?" he said.
What preceded this?
Earlier, the French media outlet Le Monde, citing an unnamed high-ranking official, reported that Qatar had brokered an agreement with Ukraine and Russia for the return of thirteen children displaced by the war.
According to the report, nine minors and one adult are set to reunite with their families in Ukraine, while four minors will return to Russia.
A source from the Agence France-Presse (AFP) clarified that this involves nine Ukrainian children aged 12 to 17 and four Russian children aged 2 to 7. The publication's source indicated that all the children will be met at the Qatari embassy in Moscow prior to reuniting with their families.
Reference
Since July 2023, Qatar has acted as an intermediary in the repatriation of Ukrainian children illegally taken to its territory by Russia since the onset of the invasion in February 2022.
Ukraine estimates that around 20,000 Ukrainian children have been "deported or forcibly relocated" to Russia, although the actual number may be much higher, as this figure only includes officially identified children. To date, Kyiv reports that approximately 400 of these children have been returned.
It is important to note that, according to the Prosecutor General, as of August 21, 2024, more than 2,092 children have been injured in Ukraine due to the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation.
As of September 19, 2024, 1,957 children are considered missing in Ukraine.
Rubryka previously reported that the number of children who died as a result of Russian attacks across Ukraine has increased by nearly 40% this year compared to last year.
According to official UN data, at least 600 children have been killed in enemy attacks since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, UNICEF believes that the actual number is likely much higher.
