Five more children returned to Ukrainian-controlled territory from occupied Kherson region

Five more children have been returned to Ukrainian-controlled territory from the temporarily occupied part of the Kherson region, according to Ukrainian authorities.

The children had been living in areas of Kherson region currently under Russian occupation before being brought back to territory controlled by the Ukrainian government. Ukrainian officials have consistently framed the return of children from occupied territories as a priority, citing concerns about the welfare and legal status of minors residing under occupation.

The Kherson region, in southern Ukraine, has been partially occupied by Russian forces since the early stages of the full-scale invasion launched in February 2022. While Ukrainian forces liberated the regional capital and parts of the region in late 2022, other areas east of the Dnipro River have remained under Russian control.

Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly said that thousands of children have been taken from occupied territories to Russia or Russian-controlled areas since the start of the war, a practice Kyiv and international bodies have characterized as forced deportation. Ukraine has run ongoing efforts, often coordinated with international partners and humanitarian organizations, to identify and repatriate children with ties to Ukrainian-controlled territory.

No further details were immediately provided about the identities of the five children, the specific circumstances of their return, or which organizations facilitated the process. The return of children from occupied territories remains a sensitive and closely tracked issue in Ukraine, with officials periodically announcing individual cases as part of broader repatriation efforts.