Report links Kremlin to forced relocation of hundreds of Ukrainian kids

Dec 03, 2024

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Ryan Robertson Anchor

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)

A report from Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab alleges that hundreds of Ukrainian children have been relocated to Russia, with some placed in re-education centers and others adopted by Russian families. The study details how Kremlin-linked officials and military aircraft were used to facilitate the transfers, raising questions about international law and human rights.

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The report identified 314 Ukrainian children, many from the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk, who were taken to Russia. At least 166 children were placed directly with Russian families, and 148 were listed in Russian adoption databases. Yale researchers noted that some children were subjected to pro-Russian narratives and military education in temporary facilities before placement.

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The relocation efforts were reportedly coordinated by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights. Both face arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes related to the forced transfer of children. The report also found evidence that Russian military aircraft were used to transport the children between May and October 2022.

The study highlights changes in Russian laws that streamlined the process of granting citizenship to Ukrainian children and allowed Russian guardians to renounce their Ukrainian citizenship. At least 67 children have been formally naturalized as Russian citizens, although the actual number is believed to be higher.

Researchers documented instances of sibling separation, where some children were adopted by Russian families while others remained in institutions. Approximately 80% of the children identified came from Donetsk Oblast, and nearly half had siblings listed in adoption databases.

The relocation program coincided with Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territories in September 2022. International legal experts say the program could be investigated as a crime against humanity or potentially genocide under the Rome Statute.

The Kremlin framed the program as a humanitarian effort to protect children from conflict zones. Ukrainian officials estimate that around 19,500 children have been taken to Russia or Russian-occupied Crimea since the invasion began, although Russian officials dispute these numbers.

Forcible transfer of populations, including children, is prohibited under international law. Investigations into the program continue.

Tags: Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia, Russia-Ukraine War, Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine, Ukraine aid, Vladimir Putin

[ryan robertson]

THE KREMLIN HELPED KIDNAP HUNDREDS OF UKRAINIAN CHILDREN AND RELOCATED THEM TO RUSSIA SOME WERE PLACED IN “RE-EDUCATION” CENTERS WHILEOTHERS WERE ADOPTED BY RUSSIAN FAMILIES.

THE ACCUSATIONS AREN’T NEW, AND I’VE REPORTED ON THEM BEFORE– BUT A NEW INVESTIGATION BY YALE’S HUMANITARIAN RESEARCH LAB IS REVEALING HOW THE KREMLIN USED MILITARY AIRCRAFT TO FACILITATE THESE TRANSFERS, SPARKING ALLEGATIONS OF CULTURAL ERASURE AND RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT INTERNATIONAL LAW.

THE STATE-SPONSORED KIDNAPPING PROGRAM ALLEGEDLY GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP INCLUDING RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AND MARIA LVOVA-BELOVA, THE COMMISSIONER FOR CHILDREN’S RIGHTS. THEY BOTH FACE INTERNATIONAL ARREST WARRANTS FOR WAR CRIMES RELATED TO THE FORCED TRANSFER OF CHILDREN.

YALE INVESTIGATORS FOUND EVIDENCE RUSSIA’S AEROSPACE FORCES AND AIRCRAFT MANAGED BY PUTIN’S PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION WERE USED TO TRANSPORT THE CHILDREN BETWEEN MAY AND OCTOBER 2022.

ONCE THE KIDS WERE TAKEN FROM THEIR HOMELAND, THEY WERE REPORTEDLY SUBJECTED TO “PRO-RUSSIA RE-EDUCATION” IN TEMPORARY FACILITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING IN KURSK AND ROSTOV OBLASTS. THESE PROGRAMS WERE, UNSURPRISINGLY, FULL OF MILITARY PROPAGANDA AND NARRATIVES JUSTIFYING RUSSIA’S INVASION OF UKRAINE. SOME CHILDREN WERE LATER PLACED IN RUSSIAN SCHOOLS OR DIRECTLY ADOPTED BY FAMILIES, WITH AT LEAST 67 FORMALLY NATURALIZED AS RUSSIAN CITIZENS. CHANGES IN RUSSIAN LAW ENABLED GUARDIANS TO RENOUNCE THE CHILDREN’S UKRAINIAN CITIZENSHIP, PERMANENTLY ERASING THEIR IDENTITIES.

THE REPORT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS INSTANCES OF SIBLING SEPARATION, WITH SOME CHILDREN PLACED WITH RUSSIAN FAMILIES WHILE THEIR BROTHERS OR SISTERSREMAINED IN ADOPTION FACILITIES. RESEARCHERS FOUND AROUND 80% OF THE KIDS WERE FROM DONETSK OBLAST, AND NEARLY HALF HAD SIBLINGS LISTED IN THE SAME ADOPTION DATABASES.

THE RELOCATION PROGRAM COINCIDED WITH RUSSIA’S ANNEXATION OF UKRAINIAN TERRITORIES IN SEPTEMBER 2022. THAT SUGGESTS A COORDINATED EFFORT. LEGAL CHANGES DURING THIS PERIOD STREAMLINED THE ADOPTION PROCESS, REMOVING BARRIERS TO PLACING UKRAINIAN CHILDREN WITH RUSSIAN FAMILIES.

INTERNATIONAL LEGAL EXPERTS SAY THE PROGRAM COULD CONSTITUTE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY OR EVEN GENOCIDE UNDER THE ROME STATUTE. WHILE THE KREMLIN FRAMES THESE RELOCATIONS AS HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS, CRITICS ARGUE THEY AMOUNT TO CULTURAL ERASURE AND A VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS ESTIMATE AROUND 19,500 CHILDREN WERETAKEN TO RUSSIA OR RUSSIAN-OCCUPIED CRIMEA SINCE THE WAR BEGAN, THOUGH RUSSIA DISPUTES THESE FIGURES.

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