International investigators have discovered the whereabouts of eight Ukrainian children believed to have been forcibly displaced to Russia, the Dutch police said on Friday.
The operation based out of Europol's headquarters in The Hague involved 60 investigators from 23 countries.
"We hope that the children can return home quickly," said Vincent Cillessen from the International Crime Team of the Dutch police.
The information was handed over to the Ukrainian authorities, the police said.
The whereabouts of the children were discovered using online tools and facial recognition. Experts from Britain, Australia and the US also took part in the operation.
Since the beginning of the war almost two years ago, thousands of children from Ukraine are believed to have been abducted by the Russians.
The UN's International Criminal Court has already launched an investigation and issued international arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Commissioner for Children's Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova.
