Four years have passed since Russia invaded Ukraine, yet many people from institutional settings remain missing. Hanna Zamyshliaieva’s story highlights the anguish felt by families with disappeared loved ones.
Hanna Zamyshliaieva, whose son vanished in southern Ukraine after the invasion, joined forces with two other women at a news conference to raise awareness. They represent hundreds of Ukrainians unaccounted for from residential schools and institutions.
Zamyshliaieva stated, “I am here to fight for the return of my child.” Her son’s whereabouts and condition remain unknown.
These women traveled to Kyiv to bring attention to their cases. Their family members, all in their 20s, were residents of a specialized care home in Oleshky, Kherson province, when Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022. They were later relocated with no communication to their families.
The forced transfer of Ukrainians by Russia remains a deeply troubling aspect of the ongoing conflict. Ukrainian authorities report the deportation of 19,500 children from schools and institutions across occupied areas since the invasion’s onset.
This action led to a war crimes arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court against President Vladimir Putin and aide Maria Lvova-Belova. The warrant cites the deportation of some children to Russia.