As many as 589 Ukrainian children have been killed since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Another 1,681 children have been injured, and more than 9,000 children have been deported or forcibly displaced from the territory of Ukraine since the start of the invasion. The data was presented by Petro Yatsenko, the representative of the Ukrainian Coordinating Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, in a public debate hosted by IPN News Agency. According to him, the Ukrainian authorities, in partnership with international institutions, managed to bring back to their families 1,007 Ukrainian children who were illegally displaced from Ukraine.
Petro Yatsenko noted that since the beginning of the Russian invasion of the neighboring country, 589 Ukrainian children have been killed, and 9,546 have been forcibly taken from Ukrainian families and deported to Russia.
"As many as 1,681 children have been injured since February 24, 2022. Also, data from the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine show that 589 children have died since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Also, the number of known cases of deportations or forced displacement of children is of 9,546. 1,007 deported children were brought home. We managed to save over 1,000 children. It is a very sensitive subject for us. Ukrainian NGOs and the children's rights ombudsman are working to ensure family reunification and welcome Ukrainian children back from Russian captivity," said the representative of the Coordinating Center for the Treatment of POW.
According to the Ukrainian official, the only way to combat the barbaric phenomenon of deportation and forced displacement of Ukrainian children is to end the war and completely withdraw the Russian army from the Ukrainian territory. Petro Yatsenko called on all the states to act in solidarity, noting that if Ukraine is not supported in the face of Russian aggression, the war could expand, targeting other states as well.
"The state that committed the invasion must be forced to return to its territory and respect the international agreements signed previously. These are the agreements that provide for the territorial integrity of Ukraine. I understand that now this subject seems to be in the realm of phantasy, but the subjects of deportations, prisoners, torture, genocide must have no place in 21st century Europe. It seems that the system of international humanitarian law has broken down and we see this. All countries of the world must understand that the invasion of Ukraine is an attempt to destroy the security system around the world. If we are not supported by the other states of the world, Ukraine alone will not be able to cope. I saw that President Vladimir Putin visited Mongolia where an agreement was signed. Putin was supposed to be arrested there, but this did not happen," said Petro Yatsenko.
He noted that the United Nations must be more vocal in relation to the war crimes committed by Russia, which wants not only want to occupy Ukrainian territories, but to also destroy the identity of the Ukrainian people.
"Russia continues to keep Ukrainian children in informational isolation and commits genocide in relation to the Ukrainian people. For children returning home from Russian prison, we have special rehabilitation and reintegration programs. 161 children were in the Center for the Protection of Children's Rights. Psychologists work with these children and help them reintegrate into Ukrainian society. Russia is not only seeking to occupy our territories. Russia is seeking to destroy our culture and identity. It is genocide. Russia is trying to re-educate children in the temporarily occupied territories. It is a terrible war crime. We must be united. Ukraine must not be isolated. If Ukraine does not cope with the Russian invasion, this problem may also concern other countries. All the countries of the world must help us and thus help themselves. Ukrainian children must return home, to their families, to their language and culture. Ukraine needs as many official documents confirming these crimes as possible. We need the media to cover these cases. The UN representatives must talk about it," the Ukrainian official pointed out.
The public debate entitled "What is the fate of Ukrainian children deported to Russia following the Hague Tribunal’s decision?" is part of the project "Developing political culture through public debates". IPN Agency carries out this project with support from the German Hanns Seidel Foundation.
