The Social Policy Ministry of Ukraine has assigned 878 people with the status of human trafficking victims since 2012 and the main country which exploits Ukrainian citizens is Russia.

"From 2012 until 2019, the ministry assigned 878 people, including 871 Ukrainian citizens and eight foreigners, with such status [of human trafficking victim]," Deputy Social Policy Minister for European Integration Issues Serhiy Nizhynsky said.

According to the deputy minister, 457 citizens suffered labor trafficking, 244 – sexual exploitation, 57 – were forced into begging, nine people suffered various types of exploitation, 14 children were sold to third parties and one person was exploited for surrogate maternity.

"Today Russia remains the major exploiter of our citizens," Nizhynsky said, adding that more than 240 people were recruited and exploited in Russia.

The United Arab Emirates, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Germany, Poland and Turkey are also among the top ten countries in terms of exploitation of Ukrainian citizens.

However, according to the deputy minister, there is a trend towards exploitation of Ukrainians inside the country.

Since 2012, the ministry assigned with the human trafficking victim status 46 people in Kyiv, 65 in Vinnytsia region, 42 in Volyn region, 53 in Dnipropetrovsk region, 35 in Chernivtsi region, 72 in Kharkiv region, 30 in Donetsk region, 24 in Ivano-Frankivsk region and 18 in Kyiv region.