World rallies on Feb. 24 for Ukraine’s abducted children

#CallToAction #UWC news

February 23,2026 125

More than 1,000 coordinated public events across six continents will, on Feb. 24, focus on a single issue: the return of abducted and forcibly transferred Ukrainian children to Ukraine.

The fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine falls on February 24, when more than 1,000 coordinated public events across all continents will take place simultaneously, uniting communities around a single message: the return of Ukrainian children and the protection of future generations.

Organizers say the February 24 events are designed to underline that the issue of abducted children is not only humanitarian, but strategic and generational, with implications for international law, accountability mechanisms, and post-war recovery.

According to Ukraine’s Ombudsman, approximately 20,000 Ukrainian children have been officially identified as deported or forcibly transferred, with only 1,975 returned to date. An additional 1.6 million children remain in Russian-occupied territories, where they are subjected to compulsory education under Russian curricula, militarized youth programs, passportization, and sustained pressure to abandon their Ukrainian language, culture, and identity.

Public statements by Russian officials indicate the scale of the practice continues to grow. In 2024, more than 40,000 Ukrainian children were sent to so-called “re-education” camps; in 2025, that number reportedly exceeded 80,000, according to Russian government disclosures. These facilities operate across 57 regions of the Russian Federation, as well as in Belarus and occupied Ukrainian territories.

“The abduction of Ukrainian children isn’t a byproduct of war, it is a deliberate state policy, planned and implemented at the highest level,” said Paul Grod, President of the Ukrainian World Congress, which is coordinating global actions on February 24. “This is not only about thousands of children today. It is an attack on Ukraine’s future, its demography, identity, language, and historical memory. The consequences will last for generations unless the international community responds decisively and consistently.”

Under the UN Genocide Convention, the forcible transfer of children from one national or ethnic group to another constitutes a prohibited act. Russia has sought to justify its actions through its own interpretation of children’s welfare and “best interests,” a rationale rejected by international legal experts and human rights organizations.

Organizers say the February 24 actions are designed to underline that the issue of abducted children is not only humanitarian, but strategic and generational, with implications for international law, accountability mechanisms, and post-war recovery.