- The Russian occupation regime has systematically organised the mass forced deportation of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories
- Only the coordination of efforts of all countries sharing respect for children's rights, including Kenya, can bring an end to these Russian atrocities.
From the beginning of the Russian unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine, on February 24, 2022, Russia has forcibly deported almost 20,000 Ukrainian children to areas under its control, assigned them Russian citizenship, forcibly adopted them into Russian families, and created obstacles for their reunification with their parents and homeland.
Today the world marks the World Day Against Trafficking In Persons, established by a United Nations resolution and first observed in 2014.
This year's global campaign for World Day against Trafficking in Persons urges accelerated action to end child trafficking.
Children represent a significant proportion of trafficking victims worldwide.
Amidst overlapping crises such as armed conflicts, children are increasingly vulnerable to trafficking. Children are subjected to various forms of trafficking, including exploitation through forced labour, criminality or begging; trafficking for illegal adoption; and recruitment into armed forces.
The abduction of children is, now more than ever, a sensitive and extremely important issue for Ukraine. It is an issue that deserves the attention of the whole world.
The Russian occupation regime has systematically organised the mass forced deportation of Ukrainian children from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and sent them to various, primarily remote regions of the Russian Federation.
From the beginning of the Russian unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine, on February 24, 2022, Russia has forcibly deported almost 20,000 Ukrainian children to areas under its control, assigned them Russian citizenship, forcibly adopted them into Russian families, and created obstacles for their reunification with their parents and homeland.
The Kremlin regime created at least 70 camps or other institutions on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine where Russians forcibly "re-educate" deported Ukrainian children to deprive them of their national identity.
In particular, children are taught history from a perspective of Russian propaganda interpretation. The Moscow minions distort the facts about the Russian war against Ukraine; teach the children Russian language and culture; and forbid them to speak Ukrainian or display any Ukrainian symbols.
According to international law, including the 1948 Genocide Convention, such acts constitute genocide if done with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a nation or ethnic group.
Ukrainian children are also forced to participate in military training and to wear Russian military uniforms. Ukrainian children are severely punished if they resist singing the Russian anthem.
The most cynical and terrible aspect of all this is that these barbaric actions of Moscow are supported by the Russian Orthodox Church.
According to international law, including the 1948 Genocide Convention, such acts constitute genocide if done with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a nation or ethnic group.
That is why the world community has condemned – and must continue to condemn – the deportation of Ukrainian children by Russia.
In particular, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, established by the United Nations Human Rights Council, in one of its reports stated that Russian authorities have committed a wide range of violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, many of these amount to war crimes and include, among other, forced transfers and deportations of Ukrainian children.
Also, the International Criminal Court on March 17, 2023, issued an arrest warrant for war crimes in Ukraine for Russian President Vladimir Putin and one for Maria Lvova-Belova, his Commissioner for Children’s Rights and a loyal party servant. The court at The Hague accused them of bearing criminal responsibility for the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.
One of the important steps in the return of deported Ukrainian children from Russia is a Ukrainian humanitarian programme Bring Kids Back UA. It was established at the initiative of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It unites the efforts of all authorities of Ukraine, and other states (40 states have already joined this initiative) and also includes various NGOs, all working to bring back home all Ukrainian children abducted by Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The Bring Kids Back UA Action Plan is aimed at implementing Point Four, 'Release of all prisoners and deportees', of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Peace Formula.
In the framework of this programme, with the assistance and mediation of international partners, Ukraine managed to return 758 Ukrainian children from the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. But thousands of our young compatriots are still being held in Russian captivity.
Only the coordination of efforts of all countries sharing respect for children's rights, including Kenya, can bring an end to these Russian atrocities.
I appeal to all Kenyan people and their leaders to work with Ukraine to establish a just and comprehensive peace in Ukraine and to assist in bringing Ukrainian children back home.
Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Kenya