Four years on, Ukrainian children in Switzerland face an uncertain return

Four years after their evacuation, dozens of Ukrainian children living in Switzerland face complex decisions about returning home. Tara was eight years old when Russian forces attacked Mariupol. In March 2022, three days before Russian troops completely encircled the port city, he boarded an evacuation bus with his four-year-old sister, Vera, and nearly 100 children and caregivers from the Wings of Hope children’s home. The convoy traveled 200 kilometres in eight hours to Zaporizhzhia under heavy artillery fire before continuing through Lviv and Poland to Switzerland.

The group settled in the canton of Valais, where the children enrolled in local schools, learned French, and built daily routines. They also maintained their Ukrainian identity through language instruction, cultural holidays, and home curriculum modules provided by Ukrainian educators.

Ukrainian authorities plan for Tara and Vera to return to western Ukraine by the end of 2026. However, returning to their hometown remains impossible. Mariupol remains under Russian military occupation, and the Wings of Hope building in the city was destroyed during the 2022 siege.

The physical destruction and ongoing occupation of Mariupol rule out any return to the children’s original community. During the three-month siege in 2022, artillery and airstrikes killed upwards of 20,000 civilians, according to official Ukrainian and human rights estimates. The city fell under complete Russian military control in May 2022 and remains occupied.

Relocating to western Ukraine places the children in a less volatile region, but one that remains subject to nationwide missile alerts, power disruptions, and ongoing wartime logistics. A relocation also requires leaving behind the Swiss classrooms, local friendships, and French-language proficiency the children developed over four years in Valais.

For minors, Ukrainian guardianship authorities and Swiss child-welfare agencies coordinate return plans. Caregivers must balance safety assessments, educational continuity, and legal protection under Switzerland’s temporary “S” protection status, which Swiss authorities have extended through March 2026.

Broad survey data reflects a sharp decline in near-term return plans among displaced Ukrainians across Europe. A UNHCR study published in early 2026 found that only 3% of Ukrainian refugees plan to return home within the next 12 months. While 46% express hope to return in the future, 23% see no realistic prospect of returning, and 28% remain undecided.

The proportion of refugees expressing an aspiration to return has declined steadily from 83% in 2022 to 49% in 2026 across six consecutive UNHCR research rounds. Security risks, housing shortages, and damaged civilian infrastructure in Ukraine remain the primary obstacles cited by respondents.

The Wings of Hope group reflects these diverging trajectories. While Tara and Vera prepare for relocation to western Ukraine, more than 40 children remain in Switzerland, and 14 have turned 18. Those who have reached adulthood must navigate independent legal residency, vocational apprenticeships, and employment in the Swiss cantonal system.

Four years of residence in Switzerland have fostered deep ties to local communities in Valais. The children arrived speaking Russian and Ukrainian, but quickly gained fluency in French through immersion in local public schools. Several older children have begun vocational training programs and Swiss upper-secondary education.

Wings of Hope director Natalia Lashchevskaya emphasized the importance of maintaining cultural roots throughout their stay in Switzerland. Staff organized Ukrainian language tutoring and national holiday observances alongside Swiss community activities.

When the group first arrived in 2022, caregivers anticipated a quick return to Mariupol once hostilities subsided. Four years later, staff and social workers recognize that any eventual return must focus on stable resettlement in western Ukraine rather than returning to their destroyed home.

Swiss cantonal authorities and the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) are coordinating long-term support for displaced Ukrainian youths. As protection status S continues, Swiss cantons are focusing on educational credential recognition, mental health resources, and vocational integration for Ukrainian teenagers.

Swiss and Ukrainian social services evaluate each minor’s situation on a case-by-case basis before approving returns. Relocations require confirmed living arrangements, educational placement, and designated local guardians in Ukrainian regions deemed safe by international monitors.

For the young adults who arrived as children and now study or work in Switzerland, cantonal migration offices offer pathways to regular residency permits tied to employment or higher education. The collaboration between Bern and Kyiv highlights how temporary humanitarian protection evolves into durable policy over multi-year conflicts.