Five children were returned from Russian captivity on March 13, said Oleksandr Prokudin, governor of Kherson Oblast.
Ukraine's Armed Forces liberated part of Kherson Oblast on the west bank of the Dnipro River in the fall 2022 counteroffensive. Russian troops continue to occupy the river's east bank, separating thousands of families.
At least 19,500 children have been confirmed as abducted by Russia since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and less than 400 of them have been returned home, according to the Children of War database.
Prokudin said that 35 children have been returned from Russian captivity in occupied parts of Kherson Oblast since the beginning of 2024.
The children who were brought back will receive psychological, medical, and social support to help with their transition back home.
Elsa Court
