According to the U.S. Department of State, the United States has launched a new $25 million initiative aimed at identifying, returning, and rehabilitating Ukrainian children who were forcibly taken to territories under Russian control.
Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion in 2022, Ukrainian children have been subjected to systematic forced transfers. According to official data, these children were taken to two main locations: directly to Russia or remained trapped in Ukrainian territories under Russian control, separated from their parents and communities. Ukrainian authorities are currently processing documentation for 20,570 children who have been deported or forcibly transferred. To date, just over 2,000 have been returned home through the “Bring Kids Back UA” initiative.
Moscow continues to deny allegations of abductions, claiming the children were merely “evacuated” to protect them from frontline fighting.
Olena Zelenska, currently visiting the United States, emphasized that the return of children remains a top priority. “Behind every number is a child, a family, and a life waiting to be rebuilt,” she wrote on X.
