The Plight of Missing Ukrainians from Institutions

Four years after Ukraine was invaded, a significant number of individuals who lived in institutional settings remain unaccounted for. The ongoing disappearance of these Ukrainians continues to be a distressing issue for many families.

On June 23, 2026, Hanna Zamyshliaieva shared her emotional journey concerning her severely disabled son, who vanished in southern Ukraine shortly after the Russian invasion. Alongside two other women, whose relatives are among hundreds missing from residential schools and similar institutions, Zamyshliaieva expressed their determination to find answers.

Zamyshliaieva stated, “I am here to fight for the return of my child. I don’t know where my son is, what’s going on with him, what condition he is in, and if he’s still alive.” Her son was in a specialized residential care facility in Oleshky, located in Ukraine’s southern province of Kherson, at the time of the invasion in 2022.

A news conference held in Kyiv by Zamyshliaieva, another mother, and a grandmother aimed to raise awareness about their cases. According to the women, Russian forces transferred their family members without any prior communication.

The deportation of Ukrainians by Russia represents one of the most painful issues stemming from the conflict, as well as a complex point of contention between the involved parties. Ukrainian officials have reported that 19,500 Ukrainian children were forcibly moved or deported from schools and institutions across vast territories following the Russian invasion.

The war crimes arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against Russian President Vladimir V. Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, his aide, specifically cited the deportation of some of these children to Russia.