Ukraine Repatriates 600 of at Least 20,000 Children Abducted by Russia
Yevheniia Martyniuk Euromaidan Press
Last year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s children’s rights commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, accusing them of illegally deporting Ukrainian children to Russia.
What happened to Ukrainian children on Russia-occupied territories may amount to a war crime. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, accusing them of illegally deporting Ukrainian children to Russia.
Ukraine has returned 600 children deported by Russia, but over 20,000 were transferred, said 🇺🇦 Ambassador to the Netherlands Oleksandr Karasevych.
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 19, 2024
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Putin & Russia's children's commissioner, accusing them of war crimes over these deportations. pic.twitter.com/D3FaDqfTln
He stressed that deported Ukrainian children have had their citizenship changed, names altered, and been put up for adoption by Russian families – part of a “genocidal policy” against Ukrainians.
To address this, Ukraine launched Bring Kids Back UA – a comprehensive plan uniting government efforts, other nations, and international/non-governmental organizations to repatriate all Ukrainian children deported by Russia.
Karasevych noted that 37 countries have joined the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children so far.