As part of the President of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, eight Ukrainian children have been successfully returned from temporarily occupied territories with the support of the Ombudsman’s Office of Ukraine and the State of Qatar.
Among them is 15-year-old Alina, who was separated from her mother after traveling to stay with her grandmother at the start of the full-scale invasion. Soon after, she found herself trapped under occupation. After months of searching for a way to reunite, Alina has finally made it back home.
Thirteen-year-old Sashko had traveled to live with his father at the start of the war, believing it to be safer. However, when the city was occupied, he was left stranded, unable to leave. His mother, who had been abroad when the war began, spent nearly two years trying to bring him back. Now, after a long and difficult process, Sashko is finally safe.
13-year-old Mykyta and 8-year-old Yeva lost their mother while living under occupation. Without a legal guardian, they were placed in a social rehabilitation center, where they faced the risk of being adopted into a Russian family. Their relatives, determined not to lose them, fought tirelessly to bring them back to Ukrainian-controlled territory. Today, they are finally safe and reunited with their loved ones.
We are deeply grateful to the Ombudsman’s Office of Ukraine for their tireless efforts in ensuring the return of Ukrainian children. A special thanks to the State of Qatar, whose role as a mediator was instrumental in making this possible
.*The names of the children have been changed for safety reasons.
Every Ukrainian child has to be brought back home. We will not stop until they all do.