International Concerns Over Treatment of Ukrainian Children by Russia

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has confirmed contact with Russian children's rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children who were forcibly deported to Russia. The ICRC's engagement goes beyond that of other agencies, including the UN children's agency UNICEF. The exact number of Ukrainian children taken to Russia is difficult to determine, but Lvova-Belova claimed that more than 700,000 children have been taken in by Russia since February 2022, with 2,000 from orphanages in the eastern Donbas. The ICRC's reunification process includes tracing family members, obtaining relevant consents and documentation, and reuniting families.