The United Nations has declared that the deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia constitutes a crime against humanity and a war crime.
A new report from the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine states that Russian authorities, "at the highest level," have deported "thousands" of children from occupied Ukrainian territories.
The report indicates Vladimir Putin's "direct involvement" has been visible from the outset. Ukraine reports nearly 20,000 children have been illegally sent to Russia and Belarus. The UN Commission has identified 1,205 cases of children taken by Moscow in 2022, with 80% not yet returned, leaving many parents unaware of their children's whereabouts.
This situation is described as enforced disappearance and unjustifiable delay in repatriation, both considered crimes. The report highlights that these children, many from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, were evacuated to Russia before the full-scale invasion, with claims they were at risk. They were subsequently placed in families or institutions and given Russian citizenship.
Moscow has consistently denied accusations of forced removal, with Putin previously stating the "child abductions" narrative was "exaggerated" and that children were "rescued." However, the UN report details significant difficulties in returning children to Ukraine, causing distress, trauma, and fear of abandonment due to harsh treatment in Russia.
In 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's commissioner for children's rights, for the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children. Ukraine states it has recovered approximately 2,000 children. US First Lady Melania Trump has reportedly been involved in facilitating reunifications.