Ukraine returns two more children from occupied territories to their parents
Two teenage sisters, who had not seen their mother for almost two years and resided with their grandparents in a Russian-occupied village in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk Oblast, have been returned, according to the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories on Feb. 24
The village where the girls lived with their grandparents was quickly occupied by Russians, so it was not possible to immediately take the children out, said the ministry.
Read also: Ukraine returned 11 more children from Russia and temporarily occupied territories
In 2022, the sisters were enrolled in school under the Russian program. The occupying authorities pressured the grandparents to assume custody of their granddaughters following the Russian model.
“But the girls wanted to meet their mother more than anything. And now they are finally together – with their mother and safe,” the ministry added.
Read also: 12-year-old boy successfully returned to Ukraine after 22 months in Russian-controlled territory
According to the Ukrainian state platform Children of War, as of Feb. 24, at least 19,546 children have been deported or forcibly displaced by the aggressor country Russia.
On Jan. 14, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported during the fourth meeting of the Davos Peace Formula advisers that Ukraine had returned 517 illegally deported children and 2,828 adults from Russia, including only 150 civilians.
On Nov. 27, it was reported that the PACE had set up a special committee on the violation of the rights of Ukrainian children by Russians.
Read also: "It will take 55 years" to return Ukrainian children from Russia warns ombudsman
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