The forced deportation and transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia constitutes both a war crime and a crime against humanity, according to a new report by the United Nations.
The report from the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine states that Russian authorities, “at the highest levels,” were responsible for deporting thousands of children from occupied areas of Ukraine.
According to the findings, the involvement of Russian President Vladimir Putin has been “apparent from the very beginning.”
Thousands of children taken
Ukrainian authorities estimate that nearly 20,000 children have been illegally transferred to Russia and Belarus.
So far, the UN commission has documented 1,205 confirmed cases of children taken from Ukrainian territories by Moscow during 2022.
The report states that around 80% of these children have not yet returned, while many parents and guardians still do not know their children’s whereabouts.
According to the UN, these acts constitute:
- Forced disappearance
- Unjustified delays in repatriation
Both actions are classified under international law as crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Children taken from occupied regions
Most of the children mentioned in the report lived in the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, territories over which Moscow illegally claims control.
Shortly before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia reportedly evacuated many of these children to its territory, claiming they were at risk from an imminent Ukrainian attack.
Afterward, the children were placed with Russian families or in institutions and granted Russian citizenship, according to the report.
Russia rejects accusations
Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations that it forcibly removed children from Ukrainian territory.
Putin previously described the narrative of “kidnapped children” as “exaggerated,” insisting they had been “rescued from the war zone.” He also claimed that there was “no problem” with returning them home.
However, Kyiv disputes these claims, and the UN report states that many children have faced major obstacles in returning to Ukraine.
Psychological trauma and forced environment
The report also highlights serious psychological consequences for the children.
The forced separation from their homeland and the “coercive environment” in Russia have caused deep emotional distress. Children who manage to return often suffer from:
- Trauma
- Anxiety
- Fear of abandonment
In some cases, the report describes harsh treatment in Russian institutions. One child in a Russian orphanage was reportedly told by staff that Ukraine “no longer exists” and that his parents had probably died.
International legal action
In 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin, accusing him and Russia’s children’s rights commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova of the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.
In an interview, Lvova-Belova acknowledged taking custody of a 15-year-old boy from the city of Mariupol, currently under Russian control, saying he had been “re-educated,” despite not wanting to go to Russia.
Efforts to return children
Ukrainian authorities say about 2,000 children have been returned so far.
Meanwhile, Melania Trump has reportedly been involved in efforts to help reunite some children with their families. She said last year that she had an “open communication channel” with Putin, after he responded to a letter she sent regarding concerns about child victims of the war.
War continues
The war between Russia and Ukraine continues despite several rounds of negotiations between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv and the recent involvement of a U.S. delegation.
Now in its fifth year, the conflict has caused:
- More than 15,000 civilian deaths
- Over 41,000 injured
- Around 3.7 million displaced people
