As the analysts of “Institute for the Study of War” reports, well-known Russian military bloggers are currently distributing a multi-part documentary series about Ukrainian children from Donbass who have been adopted by Russian families.
The documentary claims that Russian officials it evacuated more than 150,000 children from Donbass in 2022 alone. So far it is unclear how exactly Russian sources calculate this figure. Ukrainian officials had previously estimated them at 6,000 to 8,000.
Just a few days ago, Ukraine sounded the alarm and warned about the abduction of Ukrainian children in Russia, which is prohibited by international law. At least 11,000 children whose names are known are affected, President Volodymyr Zelenskyj said in his evening video address. “But those are only the ones we know about. Indeed, others have been kidnapped.”
The head of the presidential office in Kiev, Andriy Yermak, also discussed the abducted children in Russia in an online conference with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and G20 ambassadors. “Our goal is to stop the forcible abduction or deportation of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation,” Yermak said. Everything must be done to bring these children back and reunite them with their families.
The Russian military and Russian authorities confirm that the children are being brought to Russia from Ukraine. They would either be taken to safety from combat zones or come to Russia for treatment or recovery.
Kadyrov brings “difficult teenagers” to Chechnya.
The Chechen ruler Ramzan Kadyrov is also involved. She recently said on her Telegram channel that she works with the Commissioner for Children’s Rights of the Russian Federation, Maria Lvova-Belova.
He allegedly brought “difficult teenagers” from various Russian regions and the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk to Chechnya. Kadyrov explained that they receive “military-patriotic training” there.
The ISW identifies parts of a Russian depopulation campaign behind the program of forced adoptions and deportations of children disguised as vacation and rehabilitation. Experts warn that this could amount to “ethnic cleansing”. (teaspoon, dpa)
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