The abduction of Ukrainian children to Russia is a crime
Osnabrück, February 20, 2023 – The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe: children, women, and men are experiencing bombings, destruction, cold, suffering, and death. Millions of people, mostly women and children, are seeking refuge in neighboring countries, while many more are internally displaced within Ukraine.
terre des hommes reacted swiftly as the war escalated, contacting local organizations in Ukraine and neighboring countries that provide effective assistance, particularly to children and young people. terre des hommes now works with a broad network of approximately 20 partner organizations, with whom we have implemented 33 aid projects to date, including 17 projects in Ukraine, 11 in Germany, three in Poland, and one each in Romania and Hungary. The focus has been, and continues to be, on emergency aid packages and medicines, emergency shelters, generators, and heated tents to combat the winter cold, as well as providing assistance to children with disabilities and orphans, and offering trauma therapy to help children and young people cope with their fears and experiences of war.
“This aid was possible terre des hommes because we received a wave of solidarity in the form of generous donations totaling almost eight million euros so far – more than almost ever seen in a humanitarian catastrophe,” explained Joshua Hofert, spokesperson for terre des hommes . “A large portion of these funds has already been allocated to the 33 ongoing or completed projects. We will use the remaining funds in the coming months for further aid, which is urgently needed in light of the ongoing war.”
In addition to continuing to provide emergency shelter, food packages, and medicine for people bombed out of their homes or fleeing terre des hommes will intensify its efforts to help traumatized children and young people. “The longer the war lasts, the greater the risk that a lost generation of young people will grow up in Ukraine. They were unable to attend school, have no vocational training, and must process what they have experienced: destroyed homes, dead bodies in the streets, and a life in air-raid shelters without private spaces. Many of them suffer from trauma and need psychotherapeutic help and support—now and especially when the war hopefully comes to an end in the foreseeable future,” said Joshua Hofert.
terre des hommes is outraged by the ruthless abduction of Ukrainian children to Russia. The figures vary widely: Russia confirms 6,000 to 7,000 abducted children, while Ukrainian authorities report approximately 14,000 "missing children." "The children are given new identity papers, making their whereabouts untraceable. They are given new identities and released for adoption to Russian families. Russian propaganda portrays this theft of children as a rescue operation ; in reality, it is a heinous crime that tramples on children's rights," said Joshua Hofert.