russia abducted 2,000 children in Ukraine since New Year – US amb to OSCE
The forcible deportation of Ukrainian children to russia is disgusting and violates the Geneva Convention.
US Ambassador to the OSCE Michael Carpenter stated this during a special meeting of the Permanent Council on Friday in Vienna.
"In recent weeks, we have seen russia double down on some of its most despicable behavior in Ukraine. This includes continuing to forcibly remove children from their families and homes in Ukraine and transfer them to russia. Over the New Year, russia reportedly abducted as many as 2,000 children from Ukraine into russia under the guise of protecting them from the ongoing violence of russia's own war," Carpenter said.
He added that russian forces illegally transferred or deported thousands of Ukrainian civilians to russia from russian-controlled Ukrainian territories "in a further grave breach of the Geneva Conventions."
In addition, the American ambassador pointed out that in the occupied Donetsk and Luhansk, lists of children who should be involved in the war after reaching adulthood are already drawn up.
"Children born in 2005 and 2006 would now already be subject to compulsory military registration. This advance planning to use Ukraine's children as cannon fodder for russia's war is – I have no other words – it's just plain evil," Carpenter added.
The US ambassador also stated that russia's actions demonstrate it has no serious interest in diplomacy, and no one should trust its "false protestations that the diplomatic ball is in someone else's court."
He added that the US would continue its support.
"russia remains the sole obstacle to peace in Ukraine. russia and russia alone could end this war today.
For as long as it takes, literally for as long as it takes, the United States will continue to support Ukraine as it defends itself and liberates its territory," he said.
Reference
Dmytro Lubinets, the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for human rights, previously stated that the number of Ukrainian children deported to russia may amount to hundreds of thousands.
Lubinets said that currently, the Ukrainian authorities have verified more than 13,000 children were deported to the russian federation. That is, they know where these children were taken from, where they are on the russian federation's territory, their status, and what is happening to them.
