US joins international coalition to support return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia

The United States has officially joined a coalition advocating for the safe return of Ukrainian children who were illegally deported and displaced by Russia during the war. 

The US has recognized the Russian armed forces as a party committing serious violations against children in the war against Ukraine, Rubryka reports, citing an official statement from the US State Department released on Thursday.

"We note the report of the UN Secretary-General 'Children and Armed Conflict' A/77/895–S/2023/363, in which Russia's armed forces and affiliated armed groups are included in the list of parties committing grave violations against children in armed conflict," said the US State Department.

The United States also emphasized the importance of upholding human rights during the war.

"International humanitarian law and human rights law must be respected in the context of the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine, including by addressing the illegal deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children by the Russian Federation," the State Department said.

The US will assist in providing aid to children affected by illegal deportation.

"[The US supports] facilitating the delivery of all necessary humanitarian, medical, and psychological assistance to children and their families affected by the illegal deportation and forced transfer by the Russian Federation, with the aim of their reintegration, and the restoration of their well-being, health, and welfare," the State Department stated.

Washington will also support efforts "to bring those responsible for organizing the illegal deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to justice consistent with international law."

On December 8 last year, Kyiv hosted the first meeting of the international coalition for the return of Ukrainian children.

Before that, representatives of Canada proposed creating a coalition of countries to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children deported by the aggressor country.

What we know about the deportation of children to Russia and to the occupied territories

As of December 3, Ukraine has confirmed the illegal abduction of 19,546 children.

Since the start of full-scale aggression, the Russian military forces have been taking Ukrainian children to Russia and territories under their control. Ukrainian activists created a map of camps where children are being sent to after abductions.

As reported, Russian occupiers are intensifying the forced imposition of Russian aggressive ideology on the occupied territories of Ukraine.

The national resistance also reported that Russian occupiers detained children to pressure their parents.

After Russian started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, more than 2,400 Ukrainian children aged 6 to 17 were taken to 13 institutions on Belarusian territory.