“You will have a Russian mother, passport and name.” The Kremlin still kidnaps Ukrainian children
From the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, almost 19.5 thousand Ukrainian children were unlawfully deported or forced resettled, and only 1.6 thousand. from them returned to the homes – according to the Bring Kids Back UA data. According to the research of the University of Yale, the Russian side as the purpose of the deportation chose groups of the most vulnerable children, including with disabilities, from soldiers' families or low income, as well as orphans. At the beginning of August, the Coalition of 40 countries called on Russia for immediate and unconditional return of abducted children who are subject to indoctrination and militarization.
– The fate of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children is unknown. Abducted. Intimidated. Forced to displace their identity. We have to do everything in our power to help Ukrainian children. In this spirit, I can announce that together with Ukraine and other partners I will be the host of the International Coalition for the return of Ukrainian children. Each abducted child must come back – said Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, during her message about the state of the Union, which she delivered on September 10 this year. in the European Parliament.
She also shared the story of one of the kidnapped children – Sasha Radchuk, who with grandmother Ludmiła was present at the parliamentary session.
My name is Sasha, I'm 15 years old. I was separated with my mother and kidnapped. I was in the Donetsk region for two months – says Newseria Sasha Radchuk.
At the outbreak of the war, Sasha was 11 years old. During the assault on Mariupol and his mother he found shelter in the basement, but after bombing the estate, they both found their way into the hands of the Russians.
– Russian soldiers took Sasha and his mother to the place that the Russians call the “filtration camp”, after which he was abducted. He heard that he didn't need his mother. He will go to Russia and have a Russian mother, passport and name. He was sent to the occupied Donetsk. But Sasha did not give up. Along the way, he managed to use someone's phone. He called his grandmother Ludmiła, who lived in Free Ukraine. She didn't hesitate. Her friends said she was crazy. But Ludmila moved heaven and earth to get to her grandson. With the help of the Ukrainian government, she went through Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Russia to occupied Ukraine. She managed to recover Sasha and bring him to a safe place the same long way. Every day they fight to find Mother Sasha, who got stuck somewhere in the middle of the brutal Russian war – she told the story of the boy Ursula von der Leyen.
– As the grandmother of the ten grandchildren, I can't imagine that something like that would happen to my child, so all diplomatic activities, because such mainly the European Union can act, support and support – says Mirosława Nykiel, a Member of the European Parliament from the Civic Platform.
According to the Ukrainian portal Children of War from February 24, 2022 to September 15, 2025, 654 children were killed, 2153 were injured and 2182 are considered missing. Data also indicates that 19.5 thousand Ukrainian children were unlawfully deported or forced resettled, and only 1.6 thousand. of them returned home.
– I would like the war to end as soon as possible, because every day more and more children are being deported from Ukraine – says Sasha Radchuk.
He emphasizes that he has friends who have met a similar fate. Among them is Kira Obedyńska, who was in Russian captivity for over a month. On March 17, 2022, the girl's father, then 12 -year -olds, died in the raid in Mariupol, and Kira – wounded as a result of the eruption of the land face – was kidnapped by the occupiers. On April 26, 2022, the Mariupol City Council announced that the girl returned from the occupied Donetsk.
According to data published in March this year. By Yale Humanitarian Research Lab, over 8,400 children from Ukraine were systematically transferred to at least 57 facilities, including 13 in Belarus and 43 in Russia and in the areas they occupied. In addition, Russia refuses to transfer the letters to the Ukrainian authorities, as international law requires, and undertakes actions to hide their forced deportation and illegal adoption. The study also showed that kidnappings and indoctrination, including military training, children from Ukraine were commissioned by Russian President Vladimir Putin and conducted by Russian federal, regional and occupation officials. In 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant of Vladimir Putin and Maria Lviv Biełowa, which he considered personally responsible for illegal deportations of minors.
– We treat the topic statistically, but this is the drama of every family and every child. The fate of these children is unknown. Each diplomatic activities make sense and you have to thank the organizations that deal with it with all their heart, because these are not simple matters – says Mirosława Nykiel. – The drama of every child is close to us and we will support Ukraine not only militarily, but also through soft diplomatic activities to help recover these children. I was very moved by the letter of the first Lady of the United States, which at the request of the President of Ukraine turned to Putin.
Researchers from Yale emphasize that Russia's invasion of Ukraine includes a campaign of forced resettlement of children, destroying their bonds with Ukrainian and heritage through re -education, and even taking them away from Ukrainian identity with adoption.
– We should focus primarily on those who need to help, because they cannot defend ourselves, so we have to put it as a priority. We should be preparing for the worst, but we must start with the weakest, i.e. with children – believes the PO MEP.
The international coalition for the return of Ukrainian children was officially inaugurated in Kiev on February 2, 2024. Her co -chairing its rule of Ukraine and Canada. At the beginning of August this year. 40 countries, together with the Council of Europe and the European Union, appealed to Russia for immediate and unconditional reference to Ukrainian children home.
