Moscow, Russia

Russia has consented to reunite four Ukrainian kids with their families, following an agreement facilitated by Qatar.

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These children are in the age group of two to 17 years old. This repatriation initiative represents the initial phase of a trial programme aimed at bringing back a larger number of the many children who were reportedly taken by Russia in the wake of its extensive invasion of Ukraine last year.

As per Ukrainian authorities, they have identified approximately 20,000 children whom they claim were forcibly seized by Russia during this period.

Amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Moscow maintained that its actions were driven by humanitarian concerns.

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Russian authorities insisted that they had undertaken a massive evacuation operation, rescuing hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children to shield them from the perilous circumstances in their home country. During this period, prominent Russian officials openly disregarded any allegations against their intentions.

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Challenges in repatriation

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However, the process of bringing these children back from Russia has not been without complications. In some instances, children have had to embark on a convoluted journey, traversing through Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland before reuniting with their families in Ukraine.

The first to return was a seven-year-old who was reunited with his grandmother.

The reunion took place on Friday (Oct 13), and the next on Monday (Oct 16). The remaining children are expected to reach Ukraine later this week.

These four children are part of a larger cohort of Ukrainian children who Kyiv alleges were forcibly separated from their families, transported across the border into Russia, and subjected to a concerted effort to erase their Ukrainian identity.

Investigations by the BBC have revealed that Ukrainian children in Russia were frequently informed that there was nothing left for them in their home country and were subjected to varying degrees of indoctrination in a "patriotic" Russian curriculum.

Some Ukrainian families have had to undertake arduous journeys into Russia to reclaim their children. It's estimated that prior to Qatar's mediation, only about 400 Ukrainian children had returned to their homeland.

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Ukraine's accusations and Russia's response

Daria Gerasymchuk, an adviser to the Ukrainian president for children's rights and rehabilitation, voiced strong accusations, suggesting that Russia aimed to forcibly separate children from their biological families, impose a "Russified" identity upon them, and integrate them into another ethnic group, reported the BBC. 

Russia has indicated a willingness to cooperate in reuniting children with their families. Russian authorities have pledged to cover transportation and accommodation costs and, when necessary, conduct DNA analysis to confirm familial connections.

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