Why Russia doesn’t want to return Ukrainian children – Yermak responds

Arranging the return of illegally deported Ukrainian children to Ukraine is significantly more challenging than arranging prisoner-of-war exchanges.

Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, stated this in an interview with Natalia Moseichuk on TSN during the telethon.

“We don’t exchange children. We return them. And this is a much more difficult situation. Unfortunately, there is currently no organization capable of monitoring and providing confirmed lists,” Yermak said.

According to him, Russia is taking every measure to conceal these children: some are adopted, and their names and surnames are changed.

Yermak also explained why it is easier for Global South countries to act as intermediaries in returning Ukrainian children than it is for Western countries:

“This is because they have different relations with Russia than NATO countries or the G7. They have contacts with Russia, and they are economically connected. Undoubtedly, they have influence. And we are using this influence, involving them.”

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