On International Children's Day, Ruslan Strilets, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, together with a Ukrainian delegation, visited Gobustan State Historical and Cultural Reserve in Azerbaijan.

"Ukrainian children, along with adults, bear the burden of war every day. They hear alarms and hide in bomb shelters. They listen to and read the news. They even know about ammunition and missiles. Along with questions like "why is the sky blue?" they ask about the war. Children are constantly in danger. There are currently 2,141 Ukrainian children registered in the Missing Persons Register. Almost 550 Ukrainian children were killed in the fighting, and almost 1,350 more were injured. The occupiers forcibly deported at least 19,500 underage Ukrainians to russia," Ruslan Strilets said.

"This year's Children's Day is the third in the history of our independence that we celebrate in the context of a full-scale invasion. The actual numbers may be much higher, but it will be possible to find out only after de-occupation.

The Gobustan National Park, where the Ukrainian delegation toured, is an open-air museum with a huge collection of priceless historical exhibits from the Stone Age - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In September 2022, an audio guide in Ukrainian was launched here as part of the initiative of the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska. The first users of the audio guide were Ukrainian children who were undergoing rehabilitation in Azerbaijan at the time.

"This adaptation for the Ukrainian consumer is another signal that we are not alone against the enemy. We have support. And this support can be found in any sphere of life, in all corners of the world. It is important to join our efforts to protect children. And also to protect their right to a healthy environment," said Ruslan Strilets.