Hundreds of Ukrainian children are being transferred to Russia from occupied territories in East Ukraine. The Kremlin says they’re saving them, but Kyiv claims genocide.
Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper) The Russian military’s invasion of Ukraine has resulted in a horrific situation for many families in the country. Since the start of the conflict, thousands of Ukrainian children have been taken to Russia by the Russian military, with the intention of transforming them into Russian citizens. This has caused immense pain and anguish for the families of these children, who are fighting to get their loved ones back.
According to Renew Europe MEP, Petras Auštrevičius, who is the shadow rapporteur on Ukraine, the Russian occupation authorities have kidnapped and fraudulently deported around 20,000 Ukrainian children. “Personal stories of these children, names, and identities are being erased with the aim to turn them into Russian citizens,” he said. “The EU and the international community must use all possible means to locate, identify and return Ukrainian children to their families, as well as to their homeland, Ukraine.”
The situation has been described as a “humanitarian crisis,” and the international community has been urged to take action to address it. The children who have been taken to Russia are often kept in state-run institutions and denied contact with their families. Many are also subjected to Russian propaganda and forced to give up their Ukrainian identities.
Families in Ukraine are doing everything they can to get their children back, but the process is often difficult and lengthy. Many have turned to social media to raise awareness of the situation and to seek help from the international community.
The Russian government has denied any wrongdoing and has claimed that the children are being taken to Russia for their own safety. However, this claim has been widely dismissed as propaganda, and the evidence suggests that the real motive is to change the demographic balance in the region.
The situation in Ukraine is complex, and there are no easy solutions. However, one thing is clear: the international community must take action to help the families of these children and to ensure that they are returned to their homes and their families. The world cannot sit idly by while thousands of innocent children are taken from their families and their homes.