The real number of deported Ukrainian children remains unknown without access to information from the Russian Federation: Lubinets
One of the biggest tragedies caused by Russian aggression against Ukraine is the mass deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. Despite official data indicating more than 19,000 deported minors, the real number may be much higher, and it is currently impossible to establish an exact figure. This was stated by the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Dmytro Lubinets, emphasizing that until an effective mechanism for obtaining information from the Russian Federation is created, the true data will remain unknown.
Official data and limitations in their accuracy
Dmytro Lubinets cited official figures according to which Russia illegally deported at least 19,546 Ukrainian children. This information is based on data published on the specialized web portal “Children of War”, created to record children affected by war. However, he emphasized that these data are only superficial and do not reflect the real situation, since due to the lack of cooperation from the Russian authorities, it is impossible to check and confirm the exact number of deported children.
“I mention the figure of 19 thousand 546 Ukrainian children (deported to the Russian Federation – ed.) with reference to the specially created web portal “Children of War”. This figure is officially indicated there. As for the possible real number, no one really knows.” Lubinets said during his speech at the 4th Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen.
Deportation of Ukrainian children for so-called rehabilitation
Another glaring problem is that Russia continues to use temporarily occupied territories to forcibly deport children. According to the ombudsman, only in August of this year, more than a thousand Ukrainian children were taken from the occupied part of the Kherson region to the Russian region of Kabardino-Balkaria for so-called “rehabilitation”. Lubinets emphasized that at the moment there are no guarantees that these children will return home. Such actions violate international law, in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and fall under the definition of the crime of deportation and forced displacement of population, which is a serious violation of human rights.
The problem is the lack of a mechanism for obtaining information
Despite the existing official data, Dmytro Lubinets emphasizes that it is impossible to assess the real scale of the deportation of children without proper access to information from the Russian authorities. The lack of an effective mechanism for obtaining data on deported children from the Russian Federation is one of the key obstacles to an accurate assessment of the situation.
“Therefore, no one really knows how much this figure can be until we have an effective official mechanism for obtaining such information from the Russian Federation”, – noted the ombudsman.
In his opinion, the solution to this issue is possible only with the active participation of international organizations, such as the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, which can put pressure on Russia to provide truthful information. Lubinets said that he had already appealed to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and other high-ranking officials of international organizations with a request to provide confirmed data on the number of Ukrainian children who were illegally deported to Russia. Unfortunately, he did not receive any official answer or specific figures from these organizations.
Appeal to the international community and next steps
The Ombudsman emphasized that in order to solve the problem of illegal deportation of Ukrainian children, it is necessary to involve the international community, which can contribute to the creation of a mechanism for collecting information and returning deported children to their homeland. Lubinets called on international organizations not to stand aside and to work more actively on this problem, as lack of action threatens further violations of children’s rights.
He also emphasized that it is very important for Ukraine to cooperate with international partners and exert political and legal pressure on Russia to ensure the return of Ukrainian children to their homeland. However, until an effective mechanism is created to obtain accurate information on the number of deported children, Ukraine will not be able to fully protect their rights and ensure their return.
Today, the problem of deportation of Ukrainian children remains one of the most acute in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Without clear information on the number of affected children and an effective mechanism for collecting this data, the struggle for their return is complicated. Only active international cooperation, the creation of an effective mechanism for obtaining information from Russia and the involvement of human rights organizations can ensure justice and the return of illegally deported Ukrainian children to their homeland.
