In a deal brokered by Qatar, Russia has returned six children displaced by the war in Ukraine, according to Russian state media. The children, aged between six and 17, were seen in a video published by TASS news agency at Qatar’s embassy in Moscow, where they were greeted by the Qatari ambassador and officials from Russia, including the Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova. Notably, both Lvova-Belova and Russian President Vladimir Putin are wanted by the International Criminal Court for allegedly deporting children from Ukraine to Russia, a charge Russia denies.
Ukraine has accused Russia of illegally taking around 20,000 Ukrainian children since the invasion in February 2022, with fewer than 400 returned so far. Russia claims it transferred the children for their safety. Qatar has been facilitating family reunification efforts, and last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 16 forcibly deported Ukrainian children were recovering in Qatar. This mediation by Qatar has helped reunite dozens of children with their families amidst the ongoing conflict.
