Seven children have been successfully repatriated from temporarily occupied territories in Ukraine, facilitated by Melania Trump, the First Lady of the United States. The youngest among them is 13 years old, according to Dmitry Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights.
Lubinets shared the stories of some of the children involved in this repatriation. In one case, a 13-year-old boy was left orphaned after losing both parents and was placed in a social rehabilitation center, where he can now live safely and be reunited with his sister.
- Two brothers, aged 13 and 16, also lost their parents. Despite facing psychological pressure from occupying authorities attempting to influence their decisions, the brothers insisted on reuniting with their sister, who is now their guardian.
- A 14-year-old boy was able to reunite with his mother after more than four years of separation.
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, authorities have successfully returned a total of 2,070 children. On April 2, it was reported that Melania Trump expedited the return of six Ukrainian minors currently residing in Russia to their families in Ukraine, with one additional child expected to return later in April.
Background on the Abduction of Ukrainian Children
According to Daria Gerasimchuk, the President’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, as of late March 2023, Ukrainian officials are aware of over 19,500 children being taken from temporarily occupied territories to Russia. However, accurately counting these children remains challenging due to ongoing occupation.
On April 5, 2023, 49 countries jointly condemned Russia for organizing a Security Council meeting regarding the purported legal grounds for the abduction of Ukrainian children from occupied territories. The United Kingdom blocked the broadcast of a speech by Russia’s Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova on UN platforms, demanding accountability for her actions before the International Criminal Court.
The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine has indicated that there is currently no transparent algorithm or mechanism in place to facilitate the return of deported Ukrainian children from Russia.
On March 17, 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lvova-Belova, suspecting them of illegal deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children.
On September 23, 2025, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that 1,625 Ukrainian children had been successfully returned to Ukraine.
The repatriation of seven Ukrainian children, aided by Melania Trump, highlights ongoing efforts to reunite families separated by conflict. As thousands remain unaccounted for, international scrutiny of Russia's actions continues.