90 Ukrainian children missing - Zelenskyy’s advisor

Victoria Anreyeva, UP Zhyttia

Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, the Ukrainian police have filed 1,214 reports of missing children. Some 90 minors remain missing to date, said the advisor to the President of Ukraine on the rights of the child and children’s rehabilitation Darya Herasymchuk at a briefing on 13 May.

"90 children remain missing today. Among those who were being searched for, two, unfortunately, have been found dead."

Herasymchuk also said that currently, the number of Ukrainian children deported to the Russian Federation cannot be verified.

According to the information of the Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, some 2,500 Ukrainian children have been transported to Russia.

Herasymchuk states that these children were, in fact, abducted by the aggressor country.

"If we hear Russia saying they are evacuating children from dangerous areas, such children must be returned immediately with the corresponding documents.

Since no one is going to return them, we are talking of forced removal, or deportation. The Geneva Convention prohibits that,"– she said.

According to Herasymchuk, the location of some of the Ukrainian children taken to Russia is known, however, others are still missing. The process is supported by international organizations, including the Red Cross.

The president’s advisor underscored that each repatriation of an illegally deported child to Ukraine is akin to a small special operation. There are not many successful cases, but there are the inspiring stories of Kira and Illya.

Background: 646 children have become casualties of the Russian aggression against Ukrainian since 24 February 2022. 

According to Herasymchuk, 218 wounded children, most between the ages of 7 and 14, are undergoing hospital treatment. 14 children have had limbs amputated due to firearm- and mine-inflicted injuries.