Among those returned: a 10-year-old bullied for speaking Ukrainian, children orphaned by medical neglect, and a teenager tortured over family ties to Ukraine's military.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry warns journalists against accepting Russia's offer, citing the 2014 Ilovaisk massacre where Moscow promised safe passage through a "humanitarian corridor" before opening fire, killing 366 Ukrainian soldiers who trusted similar Russian guarantees.
Putin sought to justify Russia’s slow battlefield advances by citing concern for civilian safety, even as Russian forces continue daily attacks on Ukrainian civilians across the country.
The ICC has charged Putin with war crimes over the deportation of Ukrainian children, requiring member states like Tajikistan to arrest him if he enters their territory.