Growing evidence from Ukraine on the deportation of Ukrainian children and civilians to territory occupied by Russian forces and to Russia itself must be addressed by the United Nations, and the Ukrainian civilian population must be protected from this war crime.
Thousands of Ukrainian children, some as young as six months old have been identified by Ukrainian families as having been deported to camps as far away as the Russian East Coast for political re-education in an attempt by Vladimir Putin to erase the culture of the Ukrainian people.
The Conflict Observatory, “A central hub to capture, analyse, and make widely available evidence of Russia-perpetrated war crimes and other atrocities in Ukraine” has published a report by the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab that examines “Russia’s systematic program for the re-education and adoption of Ukraine’s children.”
Key findings in the report on the deportation of Ukrainian children show:
- More than 6,000 children in Russian custody
- At least 43 camps in network
- Network of children’s camps stretches from Russia-occupied Crimea to Russia’s east coast
- Primary purpose of the camps appears to be political re-education
- Children from two of the camps have been placed with foster families in Russia
- Consent is collected under duress and routinely violated
- Children’s returns from at least four camps have been suspended
- All levels of Russia’s government are involved
International Humanitarian Law is enshrined in the Geneva Conventions of 1949 which define the Law of Armed Conflict, including the rights of civilians, their treatment, and what constitutes crimes against humanity.
James Johnstone, Co-Founder and Director at Pavocat, experts in the Law of Armed Conflict said, “The United Nations must act to stop the illegal deportation of children and families from Ukraine, ensure the return of those families and children who have been forcibly taken from their homeland, and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Atrocities and war crimes committed by Russian soldiers in Ukraine include torture, murder, rape, mutilation and deportation. The perpetrators committing these crimes must be brought to justice. But it isn’t just soldiers on the ground who are complicit. In the case of the deportation of children, the operation is controlled by Russia’s federal government. Individuals from federal to local level have been identified as being involved.
James Johnstone, Director at Pavocat said, “The forced deportation of Ukrainian children is not acceptable under any circumstances and breaches the Law of Armed Conflict. Mounting evidence shows that this policy reaches right to the top of the Russian Government, so these crimes must be investigated and those who ordered or perpetrated them – up to and including Vladimir Putin – must be prosecuted.”
ENDS