Eleven Ukrainian children were reunited with their families after being repatriated from Russia last night, Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said.
"These are six girls, including two two-year-old twins, and five boys. The youngest child returned is 2 years old, the oldest is 16 years old," Lubinets wrote on his X account. The repatriation from Russia took place through the mediation of Qatar and with the support of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
The Ukrainian children were welcomed by their relatives on the border with Belarus.
This is the fourth group brought back with the mediation of Qatar, Lubinets told journalists present at the operations.
The relatives waited more than six hours at a crossing point used for humanitarian purposes before finally being able to hug their children again.
“I'm just happy,” Oleksandr, 16, said.
Smiling shyly, he summed up his feelings as "joy and a little nervous, but otherwise all good."
"My first thought is that my new life is actually starting," he added.
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