As part of a settlement mediated by Qatar, Russia has consented to restore four Ukrainian children to their families.
The repatriation is a part of a pilot program to bring back more of the thousands of kids who Russia kidnapped after its invasion last year.
The eldest of the four kids is seventeen years old, while the youngest is two.
Ukraine claims to have located 20,000 of the kids that Russia abducted.
However, it’s believed that a far higher percentage of people were forcibly removed.
In March, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest order for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, charging them of forcibly deporting children from Ukraine.
As top officials mocked the indictment at the time, Russia argued that its actions were entirely humanitarian and that it had evacuated hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian youngsters to keep them safe.
“A strategic strategy painstakingly developed by Qatar is set to be put to the test with the impending return of the four kids. Following diplomatic conversations between Qatar and both Moscow and Kiev, this proposal came to fruition. A diplomat provided insights into the subtle orchestration of this attempt while speaking under the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. The upcoming reunion of these young people highlights both the concrete results of these negotiations and the effectiveness of Qatar’s all-encompassing strategy in negotiating a difficult diplomatic landscape. If the initial repatriation is successful, it is hoped that other repatriations will follow.
Though it hasn’t been easy, the kids have been able to leave Russia. A child had to pass through Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland on the way home in at least one instance.
A 7-year-old who was one of the four kids to be sent back was reunited with his grandmother on Friday and arrived in Ukraine on Monday.
On Monday or Tuesday in the evening, the remaining three kids, who were also reunited with their families, are anticipated to land in Ukraine.
According to Kyiv, they are only a few of the thousands of Ukrainian youngsters who have been forcibly transported across the border into Russia and removed from their family. They are also being actively worked to lose their Ukrainian identity.
Previous research by the BBC revealed that Ukrainian youngsters living in Russia were regularly told there was nowhere for them to go back to and that they were subjected to varied degrees of “patriotic” Russian instruction.
Some Ukrainian families have been compelled to endure arduous excursions into Russia in order to retrieve their children.
Before Qatar facilitated the homecoming of the four, it is estimated that just about 400 Ukrainian youngsters had returned to their country.
According to Daria Gerasymchuk, the Ukrainian president’s adviser for children’s rights and rehabilitation, “they want to take children away from their biological families, Russify these children, hide these children, and transfer them to another ethnic group.”
However, Ms. Lvova-Belova stated in a post on her Telegram channel that efforts to reunite children with their families would continue, citing President Putin as saying, “We have never been against children being reunited with their families.”
In addition, she said, Russia would assist with the cost of travel and lodging and, as needed, would provide DNA testing.
The repatriations were described as “only a first step” in the announcement by Qatari minister Lolwah Al Khater, who also confirmed the mediation.
“The unwavering dedication and admirable honesty displayed by all parties during this cooperative attempt truly gives us hope. Their combined efforts have not only increased hope but also established a significant precedent. We sincerely hope that this positive demonstration of cooperation will act as a spark for the beginning of more initiatives. These initiatives, in our opinion, will be crucial in reducing tensions and fostering a strong bond of trust between the parties concerned, she eloquently stated.