Over 700 Ukrainian children have died since beginning of Russian invasion: youngest was only two days old, - Lubinets
According to official figures, since the start of the full-scale war, Russia has killed hundreds of Ukrainian children, while thousands have been wounded or forcibly removed from the country.
According to Censor.NET, this was stated by Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights.
"Since 2022 alone, Russia has killed 707 Ukrainian children, 2,548 have been wounded, and 2,318 are missing. The youngest child who died was only two days old—she was born and died in the maternity ward," the statement reads.
Lubinec emphasized that the figures for the dead, wounded, and missing are not final, as there is still no reliable information coming from the occupied territories. In addition, thousands of our children have been deported to Russia or forcibly displaced.
We are working to bring every child home and make it clear to them that they are Ukrainians, and that Ukraine is fighting for them. We also constantly communicate this to our international partners. The world must hear this: children should not lose their lives, their health, or become orphans. Our children deserve a safe childhood—just like children in any other peaceful country in the world," Lubinets emphasized.
The Return of Deported Children
The International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children is an international platform established on February 2, 2024, at the initiative of Ukraine and Canada to coordinate efforts to return Ukrainian children whom Russia has illegally deported or forcibly displaced from the occupied territories.
The Coalition's main objectives:
- locating and determining the whereabouts of deported children;
- facilitating their safe return to Ukraine;
- coordination of diplomatic, legal, and humanitarian efforts by partner countries;
- support for the rehabilitation and reintegration of children upon their return;
- documenting war crimes and bringing those responsible to justice.
As of May 2026, the Coalition comprises 49 states and international organizations, including EU member states, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Australia, as well as the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
