Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner on Mariupol orphan trapped in Russia: We will be contacting the authorities

Ukraine is to contact the competent authorities regarding the deportation to the Russian Federation of Mariupol teenager Bohdan Yermokhin, 17, who was stopped at the Belarusian border as he attempted to return to his homeland.

Source: Dmytro Lubinets, Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) Commissioner for Human Rights, on Telegram

Quote: "We are talking about a citizen of Ukraine, 17-year-old Bohdan Yermokhin, who was first taken by Russian soldiers from Mariupol to Donetsk, and then to the Russian Federation into "foster care", despite having a sister in Ukraine.

Not only that: the young man attempted to return to the Motherland on his own. In fact, he got as far as Belarus. However, the [Russian] secret services are involved in preventing Ukrainian children from returning home. Bohdan was detained and sent back to the Russian Federation.

I am certain there is definitely going to be a just punishment for this. We are working on this and will be contacting the competent authorities with regard to this and similar cases."

Details: Lubinets emphasised that the young man has Ukrainian citizenship, so his forced relocation to the territory of the Russian Federation is not a "rescue", but a crime.

Background: 

• Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian President's Commissioner for Children's Rights, has stated that the Russian secret services were able to stop a child from Mariupol who was on his way back to his homeland at the border with Belarus.

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