More than two thousand orphans who were evacuated abroad due to the war are planned to be returned to Ukraine
War always leaves behind ruins – not only cities and villages, but also human destinies. Among the most vulnerable victims of military conflicts are children who lost their parents or were forced to leave their homeland. They don’t just change their place of residence, but break out of their own lives, leaving everything behind: home, friends, familiar environment. This is a tragedy that requires not only sympathy, but also a comprehensive approach to solving the problem of their return and adaptation.
Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, thousands of orphans have been evacuated abroad. According to the State Service of Ukraine for Children, a total of 4,739 children who lost parental care were taken out. They ended up in different countries of the world, and their fates depended on the decisions of governments, social services and international organizations. To date, more than 2,600 children have already been returned, and the process continues. There are still 2,135 children left to be returned, who are currently in thirteen countries, including Poland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Italy, Lithuania and others. About this reported Petro Dobromilskyi, head of the State Service of Ukraine for Children.
The process of returning children is complex and multi-stage. Before they are returned to Ukraine, social services conduct a detailed assessment of their needs. This includes medical condition, level of education, emotional state and other factors. For many children, especially those receiving treatment abroad, return is not yet possible. For example, there are several children in Turkey with serious illnesses, so their return is delayed until the necessary treatment is completed.
It is worth noting that returned children mostly find new homes in family forms of upbringing or continue their education in vocational and technical institutions. However, the challenge is not only in physical return, but also in providing decent conditions for their integration into society. Many of them have experienced serious psychological trauma, so they need qualified help.
According to the report of the State Service of Ukraine for Children, monitoring visits were made to Poland, Italy, Austria, Turkey and Switzerland in 2024. For example, in Poland, the needs of 746 children were assessed, of which 15 were returned. In Turkey, 203 children underwent a needs assessment, of which 192 have already been returned to Ukraine. In Italy, 28 children were assessed, 20 were returned. In Switzerland, 89 children were assessed for needs, of which 5 were returned. In Austria, 190 children were analyzed and only one child was able to return to the biological family.
Petro Dobromilsky noted that work on the return of Ukrainian orphans is ongoing, and in the near future additional monitoring visits will be made to the countries with the largest number of children. However, this process requires not only coordination at the state level, but also international support, because many children are used to a new life abroad, and their return requires a special approach and psychological support.
Ensuring the safe return and adaptation of orphaned children in Ukraine is one of the most important humanitarian challenges. The war forced them to leave the Motherland, but they have the right to return home and receive proper protection and support. The future of these children depends on the coordinated work of the state, public organizations and international partners, their opportunity to feel the warmth of the family again and stability in life.
