Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
Tragically, the expert believes it will be borderline impossible to get the children back.
Tragically, the expert believes it will be borderline impossible to get the children back.
35,000 Ukrainian Children Still Missing
An estimated 35,000 Ukrainian children are still unaccounted for, thought to be held in Russia or Russian-controlled areas after being taken.
How the Abductions Began
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, children have been taken from orphanages, seized on the battlefield after their parents’ deaths, or removed from families under duress.
Russia Rejects Responsibility
Russian officials have denied any wrongdoing, accusing Ukraine of “staging a show on the topic of lost children” during ceasefire negotiations in Turkey earlier this month.
A Mother’s Dangerous Mission
Natalia, a mother from Kherson, told The Guardian that she sent her sons to a children’s camp in Russia, believing it was a short-term, safe arrangement.
When they weren’t allowed to return, she embarked on a perilous solo journey to get them back.
Six Days Through Warzones
With help from a Ukrainian NGO, Natalia crossed dangerous terrain and multiple Russian checkpoints to reach the camp in Anapa.
In February 2023, after six days of travel, she was finally reunited with her children.
The Numbers Recovered Are Grim
According to the organisation Bring Kids Back, only 1,366 children have been returned to Ukraine so far.
Thousands more are feared to be held in camps, placed in foster care, or adopted by Russian families.
Echoes of World War II
“This is likely the largest child abduction in war since World War Two,” says Nathaniel Raymond of Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab. “Comparable to the Germanification of Polish children by the Nazis.”
Indoctrination and Punishment in Camps
Children report being forced to sing the Russian anthem, draw the Russian flag, and punished for speaking Ukrainian.
Some even underwent military training, according to testimonies from rescued minors.
Adoption Laws Put Kids Out of Reach
Activists fear many children will vanish into Russia’s adoption system.
Recent legal changes allow Ukrainian children to be adopted by Russian families, making their return nearly impossible if orphaned or separated.
A War Crime on the Record
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in March 2023 for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his children’s commissioner, charging them with the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children — a war crime that Ukraine insists must be addressed in any peace deal.
