Thanks to the joint efforts of state authorities and international partners, 6,266 Ukrainians have been returned, including 403 civilians.
This was reported on Telegram by Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s Commissioner for Human Rights.
According to him, the final 2025 meeting of the Working Group on the Human Dimension was held at the Ombudsman’s Office, with representatives from 36 countries and five international organizations participating.
“Co-chairing as always were the Ambassadors of Canada and Norway. A special guest—a former prisoner of war—also attended and shared his experiences in Russian captivity. His testimony once again highlighted how important it is to bring our people home as quickly as possible,” Lubinets said.
He also noted that the main focus of the meeting was the return of Ukrainians from Russian captivity, including illegally displaced and deported children, unlawfully detained civilians, and prisoners of war.
“Our efforts are producing results. Thanks to the coordinated work of state authorities and international partners, we have returned 6,266 Ukrainians, including 403 civilians. Within the framework of the President of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative, we have returned 1,898 children, including 612 just since the beginning of 2025,” the Ombudsman emphasized.
He added that decentralization of the Ombudsman’s Office continues to ensure assistance is accessible in every region.
With the support of international partners, Human Rights Protection Centers are already operating across Ukraine. New Child Rights Protection Centers have also been opened this year in regions where returned children receive support from specialists to help them recover from their experiences.
According to Lubinets, the formation of this network is planned to be completed in 2026.
“We must bring our citizens home. International support and joint efforts are crucial in this. In 2026, we will increase pressure on Russia and focus on even more concrete results for our people. I sincerely thank the states and international organizations for their support, trust, and for standing with us in this shared mission,” the Ombudsman concluded.
