Ukraine has appealed to the international community to support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, which is aimed at securing the return of Ukrainian children who were forcibly transferred and illegally deported by Russia.
This call was made by Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine and Chief Operating Officer of Bring Kids Back UA, Dariia Zarivna, during a joint meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council and the Forum for Security Co-operation held in Vienna and focused on the protection of children in armed conflicts.
In her speech, Dariia Zarivna stressed that the Russian Federation is systematically violating children’s rights. According to three annual reports by the UN Secretary-General, the Russian Armed Forces have been listed among the most egregious violators of children's rights due to killings, abductions, and the deportation of young Ukrainians.
“What we are facing are not isolated incidents, but a systemic practice: Russification, ideological indoctrination, and the militarization of Ukrainian children in the temporarily occupied territories. The goal of this policy is to shape a new generation stripped of its national identity and prepared for future aggression,” noted the Chief Operating Officer of Bring Kids Back UA.
She also emphasized that Russia has created and is scaling up networks of youth organizations and camps where children undergo military training, including in weapon use, and are subjected to propaganda narratives. These trainings are often conducted by active-duty personnel of the Russian Armed Forces.
Dariia Zarivna called on OSCE participating States to support the Ukrainian President’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, which unites the efforts of the state, international partners, and civil society to secure the return of abducted Ukrainian children.
“Protecting children in armed conflict is our moral duty. The Bring Kids Back UA initiative is Ukraine’s response to crimes committed against them. We call on every state to support our efforts and join us in bringing the children home,” she stressed.