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Return every child

Tens of thousands of Ukrainian children have been forcibly displaced and taken into Russia.

Return Every Child is a campaign calling for the safe return of the children taken from their homes in Ukraine and moved into Russia, stripped of their names and their identities erased. Their families left fighting to find them. 

This is not just a tragedy; it is a crime. 

Right now, 19,546 Ukrainian children are confirmed missing, according to the Ukrainian Government in March 2023. The true number is likely in the tens of thousands.

They, and 1 million more Ukrainian children under occupation are at risk of abuse, forced assimilation, and even military recruitment. Their childhoods destroyed. Their futures stolen.

Take action

We’re calling on the UK Government to carry the voices of Ukrainian children under Russia’s control on to the world stage.

Sign our petition
A child in Ukraine wrapped in a blanket.

Read the Return Every Child Report

This Return Every Child report exposes how Russian authorities are ripping Ukrainian children from their homes, erasing their identities, and reshaping them to serve an authoritarian state.

Produced with Save Ukraine and the Human Security Centre, it is based on interviews from 200 children who returned from Russia or Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. Between March 2023 and July 2025.

Of the 200 children a significant number reported single or multiple serious violations of their rights:

  • 55% reported being subjected to pro-Russian indoctrination.
  • 41% highlighted experiences of militarisation through school-based training, or membership in organisations.
  • 39% percent described unlawful transfers or deportations, to Russia, Crimea or Belarus. 
  • 30% cited being placed in camps where further indoctrination or military training was provided. 

Other grave abuses included separation from families (18%), denial of medical care (18%), torture or cruel treatment (10%), conflict-related sexual violence (6%), exploitation including forced labour (2%) and religious persecution (2%).

We cannot stay silent. We cannot look away.

Read the report

Return Every Child at Outernet London

On Sunday 7 September, War Child filled The Now Building at Outernet, London with 19,546 paper dolls. Each doll represented a Ukrainian child officially confirmed to have been taken from their home.

Thousands of members of the public joined us to decorate the dolls with drawings or messages of hope, sign our petition and stand with Ukraine’s children.
Some of the 19,546 paper dolls at the installation.

Some of the 19,546 paper dolls at the installation.
War Child Ambassador Carey Mulligan doing a speech at the installation.

War Child Ambassador Carey Mulligan doing a speech at the installation.
Attendees were able to decorate the paper dolls with drawings or messages of hope.

Attendees were able to decorate the paper dolls with drawings or messages of hope.
Return Every Child is a collaboration between War Child UK and Save Ukraine.

Return Every Child is a collaboration between War Child UK and Save Ukraine.
Some of the 19,546 paper dolls at the installation.
War Child Ambassador Carey Mulligan doing a speech at the installation.
Attendees were able to decorate the paper dolls with drawings or messages of hope.
Return Every Child is a collaboration between War Child UK and Save Ukraine.

Hear their voices

Ksenia sitting in a park
Ksenia's story

Read their story

Ksenia is 21 years old and has only one family member, her 14 year old brother. During the occupation of her city Vovchansk in 2022, Ksenia and her brother were separated and forcibly transferred to Russia. Ksenia was sent to a college, while her brother was first taken to a Russian camp and later placed with a Russian foster family. Determined to return to Ukraine and reunite with her brother, Ksenia sought help from War Child partner Save Ukraine. Today, both siblings are back in Ukraine.

Ivan sat in a classroom holding 3 passports.
Ivan's story

Read his story

Ivan is 18 years old and originally from Luhansk, a territory under Russian occupation. When Russia launched its full-scale war in 2022, Ivan began to reflect more deeply on Ukraine, its history, and his own identity. He realised that he was Ukrainian, not Russian. At the time, he was living near Moscow and faced the risk of being drafted into the Russian army. On his 18th birthday he crossed into Belarus before making his way to Dnipro in Ukraine. Today, works with Save Ukraine, helping other children and young people make their way back to Ukraine.

Daria standing in a classroom.
Daria's story

Read her story

Daira is a psychologist at Save Ukraine, where she has worked since March 2024. She supports children and families who have returned to Ukraine. She shares her experiences over the past 18 months and reflects on the impact that living under occupation or being forcibly transferred to Russia has had on them.

With thanks to the following supporters of the Return Every Child campaign: 

Save Ukraine and the Human Security Centre for partnering with us on a Return Every Child report, which will be published later this week.

Evgeny Afineevsky for generously sharing his work and time with us in support of our campaign. Our video installation features powerful scenes and photography from his award-winning documentary ‘Children in the Fire’ (2025). Through live-action footage and Ukrainian artists’ animation, the documentary shows the deep bravery, strength and resilience of the Ukrainian children, and their hope for a nonviolent world.  

Jasha Klebe, composer of the original score for ‘Children in the Fire’ (2025) for allowing us to use his music in our installation.  

Outernet for donating The Now Building in support of the Return Every Child campaign. 

Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb, author and illustrator of The Paper Dolls (Macmillan Children's Books, 2013), for allowing us to use an except in our installation.  

EDNAEDNA for being our production partner for the paper dolls installation and Alex Purcell for video design.