The Russian Federation continues to grossly violate human rights. It systematically abducts and deports Ukrainian children from the temporarily occupied territories. Since the beginning of the full-scale aggression in February 2022, more than 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred to Russia. Another 1.5 million children in the occupied territories of Ukraine are at risk of deportation. These criminal actions are part of a planned campaign to destroy Ukrainian identity. The international community should strongly condemn it.
One of the terrible examples is the situation with the Oleshky Orphanage for Children with Special Needs in the Kherson region, from where disabled children were forcibly deported to Russia. These children live without normal living conditions, the necessary medical care and in an unfavorable environment. Thanks to international efforts and the active work of the Ukrainian authorities, only a part of them has recently been returned. Such actions aimed at destroying their ties with their home country and depriving them of basic rights are a flagrant violation of all international norms and conventions, which shows the scale of impunity and cruelty of this policy.
The deported Ukrainian children often live in “re-education camps,” where they are subjected to ideological brainwashing to deny their Ukrainian origins. Their names and personal information are changed to make it more difficult to find them and return home. The main goal is to destroy their Ukrainian identity and integrate them into Russian society.
These Russia’s actions were condemned by the international community. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin and the Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Lvova-Belova in March 2023 for the illegal deportation and transfer of children from the TOT of Ukraine. This is an important step towards holding those responsible accountable. However, to stop these crimes, greater international support is needed.
Russia’s actions are a deliberate campaign to destroy the Ukrainian nation, which is part of an act of genocide. The forced deportation of children, their forced assimilation, and illegal adoption are crimes that must be immediately condemned and stopped. The Kremlin is deliberately depriving Ukraine of its future, cutting children’s cultural roots and nationality. These actions were strongly condemned by the international community, including the UN, the CoE, the OSCE and the G7. In January 2024, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe unanimously adopted a resolution calling on member states to recognize the deportation of Ukrainian children as an act of genocide and to make every effort to return them. This document was supported by all 85 MPs, which underlines the significance of the issue.
To stop the abduction of Ukrainian children, the President of Ukraine has initiated the Bring Kids Back UA international platform. This initiative has become an important effort of the international community to protect the most vulnerable victims of Russian aggression — children. Thus, Ukraine and the UN has signed an agreement to continue cooperation within Children and Armed Conflict Actions Plan, which emphasizes the need and importance of protecting children affected by war. More than 40 countries that have joined this coalition have already become part of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.
One of the aspects of the Bring Kids Back UA is international exhibitions aimed at raising awareness of the problems of deported Ukrainian children and victims of Russian aggression. In September 2024, the Living the War exhibition was held in China, which became an important part of the global mission to return children to their homeland. Similar events have previously been held in Brussels, Mexico City and Singapore, attracting international attention and telling the truth about the crimes committed against Ukrainian children.
To achieve success, it is critical that countries and international organizations to join these initiatives. The broader the support for the Bring Kids Back UA, the greater the likelihood of returning all children home and stopping legalized crimes. Each country and each organization that supports this initiative helps the truthful information about abducted children became known, as well as to return them home. Only joint efforts of the international community can protect the rights of these children and to ensure a peaceful future without threats and violence.
The pressure on Russia must be increased to stop legalized abduction forever. Only joint efforts and enhanced sanctions against Russia can help restore justice and return Ukrainian children to their homeland, providing them with a safe and decent future.