Ukrainian children held in Russia: militarized, 'reeducated'
Key takeaways
- A Ukrainian initiative to repatriate abducted Ukrainian children reports that at least 20,000 girls and boys are being held by Russian families and authorities.
- These activities violate international human rights laws provisions and are classified as war crimes as well as crimes against humanity.
- It also found that Russian authorities had "unjustifiably delayed" the repatriation of Ukrainian children, which counts as a separate war crime.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
A Ukrainian initiative to repatriate abducted Ukrainian children reports that at least 20,000 girls and boys are being held by Russian families and authorities. Can these children ever find their way home?
https://p.dw.com/p/5Db ZEThis family was reunited in April 2023, after the children had been forcibly taken to Russia Image: Valentyn Ogirenko/REUTERSAdvertisement In March, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine of the UN Human Rights Council found that Russia had systematically deported and forcibly transferred Ukrainian children. These activities violate international human rights laws provisions and are classified as war crimes as well as crimes against humanity.
It also found that Russian authorities had "unjustifiably delayed" the repatriation of Ukrainian children, which counts as a separate war crime.