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On September 25–26, Maria Lvova-Belova and Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Russia Ahmed bin Nasser Al-Thani met with children, their families, friends and accompanying adults in Moscow.

Four children, including two sisters aged five and three, a 14-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy, have been reunited with their families in Russia. First, they met with their relatives in Minsk and later arrived in Moscow.

Their stories are quite different. For example, one boy and his grandmother visited their relatives in Ukraine. Due to Covid-19 restrictions and the beginning of the special military operation, the boy was unable to return home. Authorities assisted his parents in collecting the necessary documents and repatriating their son to Russia, accompanied by his grandmother.

Additionally, children residing in Russia, including eight boys aged 12–17 years and one 17-year-old girl, were reunited with their parents and other relatives who live in Ukraine. The girl had been staying with her grandmother in Crimea but wished to relocate to her mother’s home in Kiev.

Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova noted that throughout the special military operation, 80 children from 62 families had been reunited with their relatives in Ukraine and third countries, with the assistance of human rights commissioners. Thirteen children from eight families were reunited with their relatives in Russia.

The State of Qatar is helping with the reunification effort. The country’s representatives take part in talks with the Ukrainian side, accompany children and their relatives, finance transportation and other expenses. The International Committee of the Red Cross, regional children’s rights commissioners, law enforcement agencies and representatives of specialised agencies are also involved in this work.