Rescue Mission for Ukrainian Children

Europol, in collaboration with the Netherlands, has successfully traced 45 Ukrainian children forcibly transferred amidst the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe. This effort was part of a larger initiative aimed at addressing potential war crimes involving the transfer and deportation of minors from their habitual residences.

Over the course of two days, April 16 and 17, 2026, a team of 40 international experts from 18 different countries convened at Europol’s headquarters in The Hague. This gathering, described as an ‘OSINT hackathon’, utilized open-source intelligence to generate leads and compile detailed reports on the whereabouts of the children. These reports are expected to aid Ukrainian authorities in their ongoing investigations into the forced relocations.

The collaborative effort included insights and participation from the International Criminal Court and various non-governmental organizations. The investigators engaged in this mission deployed advanced digital methodologies to trace transportation routes used during the forced relocations, identify individuals involved, and pinpoint locations where the children may currently be, such as military units or re-education camps.

This initiative marks the third of its kind and represents a critical step in leveraging international legal frameworks to address the injustices faced by over 19,500 children estimated to have been displaced due to the conflict. The information collected during the hackathon has been shared with Ukrainian officials, bolstering their efforts to address and rectify the situation.