Austrian-based organization “SOS Children’s Villages” confirmed on Friday that 385 Ukrainian children, who were “deported” to Russia, have been returned to their families.
Anna Radl, a spokesperson for the organization, told “France-Presse” that “SOS Children’s Villages supports the parents by sometimes providing financial resources or by assisting them in planning their path.”
The non-governmental organization, one of “three active entities” in this field, clarified that “a total of 385 children who were deported have been returned to Ukraine so far, of which 84 were assisted by SOS Children’s Villages and its partner organizations.”
The organization, headquartered in Innsbruck, noted in a statement on Thursday, “Often the children themselves request assistance, for instance through social media networks. Additionally, residents of the occupied territories occasionally provide us with information.”
The organization trains social specialists and psychologists to offer appropriate support to the minors and their families.
It’s worth noting that the International Criminal Court had issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in March on charges of committing a war crime by “illegally deporting” children. According to Kyiv, this figure encompasses no less than 19,000 Ukrainian children.
With 2.5 million minors and their relatives registered in 137 countries and territories in 2022, “SOS Children’s Villages” presents itself as the “largest global organization” of its kind.
The Russian branch of the NGO had its membership suspended after media revelations of allegations that it was sponsoring Ukrainian children under non-transparent conditions.
