Ukraine Relies on Latin American Countries' Assistance in Bringing Home Children Deported by Russia: Dariia Zarivna and Daria Herasymchuk Met with Latin American Parliamentarians

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Latin American nations have extensive experience in fighting for the rescue of children, and Ukraine relies on their voice in bringing home young Ukrainians abducted by the Russian occupiers. This was stated by Dariia Zarivna, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President and Chief Operating Officer of Bring Kids Back UA, during a meeting with members of parliaments from Latin American states.

Dariia Zarivna spoke about President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Bring Kids Back UA initiative and invited Latin American countries to join the collaborative effort. According to her, thanks to the actions of Bring Kids Back UA, 1,022 children have been brought home. At the same time, Ukraine has information on nearly 20,000 cases of deportation or forced displacement.

"I understand that you have also had this experience. You were able to turn this experience of pain into a system of establishing justice and you were able to heal these societal wounds. We desperately need your expertise and experience in this matter," Dariia Zarivna said.

She noted that the Russians refuse to create humanitarian corridors, they change children's names and forbid them to speak Ukrainian. There are also cases of forced mobilization of young residents of the occupied Kherson region.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, described the crimes of the Russian occupiers against Ukrainian civilians: torture, rape and murder. The Ukrainian Ombudsman also focused on crimes against Ukrainian children, noting that 1,934 children are currently reported missing. He urged Latin American countries to help Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression.

"It is not with Ukraine that Russia is at war. Russia is at war with all civilized democratic countries. If we don't stop this aggression in Ukraine, then eventually the aggression will come to you," he said.

Daria Herasymchuk, Advisor - Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights and Child Rehabilitation, called on Latin American countries to share information about Russian crimes against Ukrainian children.

"Russia wants to steal the voices of the witnesses - the children who went through this experience, who know exactly what the Russians told them, how they treated them, and who endured the crimes committed by the invaders. If our children are so resilient, how can we, adults, be so slow to respond or think of ways to punish the culprits?" Daria Herasymchuk said.

The meeting was also attended by paramedic Yuliia Paievska (Taira), veteran Pavlo Naida, and pastor Anatoliy Raychynets. They described the torture that Ukrainians are going through in Russian captivity and urged the world to unite its efforts in supporting Ukraine.