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Some 228 Russian children returned from Syria since 2018 — children’s rights ombudswoman

Documents for the evacuation of 140 more children are ready, Maria Lvova-Belova said

MOSCOW, December 23. /TASS/. About 230 children have been returned from Syria, including from refugee camps, to their families in Russia since 2018, Russian children’s rights ombudswoman Maria Lvova-Belova said on Thursday.

She recalled that Russia has been working to return Russian children from Syria since 2018. "To date, as many as 228 children have returned from Syria. Documents for the evacuation of 140 more children are ready," she said.

"Just a week ago, we returned nine children: eight from a camp on the eastern bank of the Euphrates, and one from a children’s home in Damascus. The medical examination is over and now, literally at this very moment, they are meeting with their big families," she said, adding people continue to contact her asking to help return their children.

"There are about 1,000 requests. We have a lot of work to do and we understand that we are only in the middle of the process," she said and thanked the Russian defense ministry for assistance.