August M
Efforts to return Ukrainian children taken during the war have taken centre stage in talks with the United Nations, as Kyiv raises alarm over their continued detention in Russia. Officials warn the issue is becoming a key obstacle to any lasting peace.
New statements from Ukraine’s foreign minister suggest the matter is also being used for political leverage.
Diplomatic pressure
According to United24Media, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Vanessa Fraser on April 13 to address the issue.
Sybiha stressed that any durable peace would depend on the return of children taken from occupied areas.
“Russia is systematically changing Ukrainian children’s documents, placing them in foster families, including in remote regions of Russia. Moreover, it is attempting to erase their identity by different means. Even more cynically, it is instrumentalizing children in this war — using them as leverage in negotiations,” he said.
Ongoing concerns
The minister said more than 2,000 children have already been returned, but many others remain in Russia.
He described the situation as a serious breach of international law and said both sides discussed steps to improve accountability and enforce UN resolutions on the issue.
The talks also focused on preventing further removals and strengthening international cooperation.
Investigation findings
Separate investigations have added to concerns about the scale of the issue. A joint report by Current Time and The Reckoning Project found that some children taken from a Kherson orphanage in 2022 are now listed for adoption on a Russian state website.
The report indicated that their profiles showed no reference to their Ukrainian origin.
Journalists verified the identities but did not release details for security reasons.
Broader pattern
Researchers say the removals appear to be part of a wider system. A study by Yale University found that more than 2,000 children were transferred to camps in Russia and Crimea between 2022 and 2025.
The report linked state-owned companies to funding programmes that facilitated these transfers, including travel and accommodation for children.
Sources: United24Media, Current Time, The Reckoning Project, Yale University
