Forget Us Not is a civil society coalition advocating for their return
reported cases of abduction
children returned from abduction and occupation
children estimated abducted by the Russian Federation
children under occupation
American researchers identified 314 Ukrainian children placed in Russia’s program of coerced adoption and fostering since February 2022 – 208 of which have already been placed in a Russian family, or have had Russians as their guardians. Real numbers are much higher and could amount to thousands of children.
Russia subjects Ukrainian children to militarization: kids are taught to dig trenches, use guns and jump with parachutes. Reports have confirmed the existence of at least 32 re-educational facilities across Russia for Ukrainian children with 11 located over 500 miles from Ukraine – two in Siberia and one in Russia’s East.
Abducted children and those in occupied territories are forced to go to Russian schools, where they are taught that Ukraine does not exist and the West is the enemy. Young children are vulnerable to such influence and come to trust these teachings more than their own parents.
Russia not only displaces the whole orphanages, but takes children with living parents from boarding schools, separates children from parents in hospitals and filtration camps and also coerces parents to send their children to "recreational camps" under the threat of depriving them of parental rights.
Frequent displacement and relocation of children from their native environment to a hostile country as well as subjecting them to legal complications - changes of name and citizenship - creates an environment for child trafficking and puts them at higher risk of exploitation.
In Russian captivity, children do not receive appropriate medical treatment and are subjected to physical, sexual and psychological abuse. This leads to irreversible health issues and even suicides.
Ask them to support S.Res 236 and H.Res 564
Write to your local media and share the news about the issue on social media
Spread awareness about the issue in your community
Support organizations that help children