Ukraine shares with Qatar list of 561 children held by Russia

Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, reported this on Facebook, according to Ukrinform.

"In two days, we have a number of results of negotiations in Qatar. I will also once again refute the praganda spread by the Russian Federation: we are conducting negotiations through the mediation of Qatar, there have been no direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia," the ombudsman's post reads.

Read also: Ukraine refutes Russia’s claim of "first face-to-face talks" on children’s return

Lubinets noted that a group of Ukrainian children is expected to return home. "At the moment, we are not disclosing any details because our position is as flows: when these children are back in Ukraine, then we publicly report their return," he added.

In addition, the ombudsman reported that a list of 561 Ukrainian children was handed over to Qatar. "We were informed that it is already being processed by the Russian side," he emphasized.

Also, according to Lubinets, the parties discussed the issue of the return of orphans and children deprived of parental care.

"We emphasized that legally there is no difference between biogical parents and official adters or guardians. Therefore, the Russian Federation is obliged to return the children, regardless of their status," he said.

Qatar also agreed to accept the first list of orphans and children deprived of parental care and to work out the issue of their return to Ukraine. "I would like to note that, according to our data, there may be more than 3,600 such children," Lubinets noted.

As the ombudsman emphasized, the issue of the return of civilians illegally held by Russia is "constantly in the focus of our work with the international community." According to him, "Qatar agreed to participate in negotiations with the Russian Federation regarding the return of civilians who are illegally held by Russia."

"Thank you to the State of Qatar, the Minister of State for International Coeration of the State of Qatar Lwa Rashid Al-Khater and her team, as well as personally to the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for their help and coeration! We are focused on the result," Lubinets emphasized.

As reported by Ukrinform, Lubinets noted on April 24 that Ukraine and Qatar are expanding coeration in the matter of returning Ukrainians from Russian captivity.

Photo: Dmytro Lubinets / Facebook