Over 200 cases of missing children have been recorded in Zhytomyr region since the beginning of the year
The full-scale war, which has been going on for the fourth year, has profoundly changed the realities of childhood in Ukraine. Constant danger, relocation of families, psychological stress, destruction of usual social ties have formed a new, complex and often traumatic reality for Ukrainian children. In the conditions of war, children become not only passive witnesses of events, but increasingly often – direct participants in dramatic situations that threaten their physical and psychological well-being. Among such problems, the issue of missing children occupies a special place.
More than 200 cases in half a year: alarming statistics of Zhytomyr region
In the first five months of 2025, law enforcement officers recorded more than 200 statements and reports about missing children in Zhytomyr region alone. And although all of these children have been found and returned home, the sheer number of appeals and the scale of the problem show how vulnerable child safety remains in the context of war.
Information about the number of cases of disappearance of children in the region voiced Head of Juvenile Prevention of the Main Department of the National Police in the Zhytomyr Region, Nataliya Honcharuk. She noted that only during the first five months of 2025, the police received more than two hundred appeals from parents, guardians or witnesses regarding the disappearance of children.
The situations that become the basis for such appeals are different. As Nataliya Honcharuk said, there are cases when a child gets lost while walking in the park, on vacation with his parents, wanders away from his family and loses his orientation. There are cases when parents independently try to find a child for several hours or even a day, and only then contact the police. In any such episode, it is important that parents notify law enforcement as soon as possible without wasting time.
All the children have been found, but the risks remain high
According to law enforcement officers, all the children who went missing in the mentioned more than 200 cases were found and returned home. After returning, preventive discussions are held with each child, they are provided with the help of psychologists. At the same time, the police emphasize: the fact of returning does not remove the threat. Every case of disappearance is stress for the child, for the family, it is a risk of becoming a victim of an accident, violence or crime.
Children remain especially vulnerable in war conditions: internally displaced families, living in new cities, lack of proper attention, emotional instability in families where a father or mother is at the front or in a war zone. Social services and the police record every year that the number of such incidents in the conditions of a full-scale war naturally increases.
Parents should not delay
Nataliya Honcharuk drew attention to another important aspect — the psychological barrier of parents before turning to the police. There is still a misconception that it is necessary to wait three hours, a day or even more before calling 102. It is this weight in the decision that can cost valuable time during searches.
Law enforcement officers stress: in case of loss of contact with a child, parents should call 102 immediately. From the moment a report of a disappearance is received by the police, an immediate search procedure begins: regular patrols are called in, an inspection of the surrounding areas is organized, witnesses are interviewed, video recordings from surveillance cameras are analyzed. The sooner the police receive information, the greater the chances of quickly finding the child.
During the application, parents should describe the circumstances of the disappearance in as much detail as possible: the place where the child was last seen, the time of the disappearance, appearance, what she was wearing, what things she had with her, and any special signs. Such data significantly accelerates searches and increases the chances of a safe return.
Children of war: a special risk group in conditions of constant psychological instability
War creates a whole series of new threats for children. Some children find themselves without the proper attention of adults due to family breaks, loss of parents, forced migration, and psychological exhaustion of families. Some of the children deliberately run away from home due to conflicts or nervous instability, others accidentally get lost during walks or in transport. Internal tensions in society, life under sirens, evacuations, power and water cuts also add stressors to children’s lives.
In addition, adolescence itself is a period of special emotional instability, when children are prone to impulsive actions, ill-considered decisions, and protest behavior. Combined with a military context, this creates an explosive mix that often leads to conflict or dangerous situations, including cases of disappearance.
Every family that raises a child in Ukraine in the conditions of war should be aware of the increased responsibility for the safety of their children. Preventive conversations with the child about the rules of behavior in the city, in crowds, in parks, in transport are not unnecessary education, but a basic necessity in the current situation.
Parents should teach the child not to go far without permission, to keep in touch by phone, to know the numbers of the police, to inform adults if he has lost his orientation.
Children of war live in a dangerous, stressful environment. And any disappearance in such a reality is always an additional risk, even if everything turned out to be a safe return.
