Ukraine Marks Day of Remembrance for Children Killed by Russia, Calls for Global Action
On June 4, Ukraine commemorated the Day of Remembrance for Children Killed as a Result of Russian Aggression, as officials renewed urgent calls for international pressure on Russia to return thousands of unlawfully deported and missing Ukrainian children, The Gaze reports.
Following a joint meeting with the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, the Human Rights, Gender Equality and Diversity Council under Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a powerful statement.
It reaffirmed that the return of Ukrainian children—illegally deported or forcibly transferred by the Russian Federation—is an absolute priority of Ukraine’s diplomatic, legal, and humanitarian agenda.
According to Ukraine’s Interior Ministry, at least 2,244 Ukrainian children are currently missing, while 19,546 have been deported or forcibly displaced to Russia. More than 1.6 million children remain in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, where they are subjected to forced Russification, military training, and ideological indoctrination through propaganda.
The Council emphasized that these actions violate international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention. It called on the global community to increase pressure on Russia to ensure the immediate return of abducted children and to support legal efforts to hold those responsible accountable.
Support was voiced for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative and the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, seen as critical diplomatic tools in advocating for multilateral cooperation and keeping the issue in the global spotlight.
“The best interests of the child must remain the cornerstone of all rehabilitation and reintegration efforts,” the statement read, stressing the importance of gender sensitivity and age-specific approaches.
The Council also urged stronger counter-disinformation campaigns and international advocacy, particularly at platforms like the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and the OSCE.
As Ukraine marked the June 4 remembrance day, the country mourned the loss of 872 children killed since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
As The Gaze previously reported, Ukraine had given Russia a list of several hundred Ukrainian children who had been deported to the Russian Federation and was waiting for Moscow to take action on this.
Read more on The Gaze: Metropolitan Opera Unveils First Excerpt from Upcoming Opera about Deported Ukrainian Children.