The Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine states that at the moment about 4,000 foster children ended up in the temporarily occupied territory or were deported by the occupiers to the territory of the Russian Federation.

"Currently, about 4,000 foster children have ended up in the temporarily occupied territories or have been deported to the territory of the Russian Federation," the ministry's press service said on Monday.

It is noted that the guardianship and custody authorities cannot ensure proper control over the conditions of their residence and upbringing, and it is also impossible to track the likely further movement. In addition, communication has been lost with many families whose children are being raised and the fate of the children is unknown.

As reported, on December 15, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine assigned to the heads of district state administrations in Kyiv and the executive bodies of local councils the obligation to submit applications to the National Police to search for orphaned children who found themselves in temporarily occupied territories or were illegally transported to the Russian Federation.