Norway is increasing its humanitarian aid for Ukrainian children deported to Russia, as well as for detained civilians and prisoners of war, with the funds to be provided through UNICEF and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Scandinavian country said, Reuters reported.
The funds will be used to search for missing persons, support efforts to return more people to Ukraine, as well as for their rehabilitation and reintegration.
In an effort to draw attention to human rights violations committed by Russia in Ukraine, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said that many Ukrainian children are currently in Russia after being illegally deported or forcibly transferred there.
Norway will provide 15 million kroner ($1.6 million) to UNICEF to support the reintegration of children who have returned to Ukraine, as well as for the search for missing children.
Another 10 million kronor will be provided to the Central Tracing Bureau of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
This week, Canada is hosting a ministerial conference on the topic in Toronto, co-organized by Norway and Ukraine.