Russia called for an explanation to the United Nations over the transfer of Ukrainian children
Russia must explain to the United Nations on Monday the fate of Ukrainian children, thousands of whom Kiev says have been forcibly sent to Russian soil since the war began in February 2022. The Human Rights Committee invented the child. The panel, consisting of eighteen independent experts, is scheduled to examine Russia's file for two days as part of a regular review.
The list of experts with several concerns was sent to Russia months in advance. With regard to the “evacuation” of Ukrainian children to Russia or to Ukrainian territories under Russian control, they particularly want to know how many children are affected and what “measures have been taken to ensure the right of these children to preserve their identity, including their nationality protect”.
Ukraine estimates that 20,000 Ukrainian children were forcibly sent to Russia. Only about four hundred have been repatriated by the authorities so far.
Moscow says it wants to protect these children from fighting. “The relocation of evacuated children is carried out primarily at their request and with their consent,” Russia reiterated in its written replies to the committee in 2023.
The document does not specify the number of children affected, but adds that “the evacuated persons included, in particular, children living in public institutions for orphans and children without parental care (about 2,000 people in total),” including “children with Ukrainian Nationality”. .
He also points out that, according to Russian Interior Ministry statistics, “46,886 Ukrainian children acquired Russian citizenship in the period from April 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.”
Many other issues will be raised in the examination of the Russian file, in particular the measures taken by Moscow to remove obstacles to children's exercise of their right to freedom of association and assembly and to ensure that they are not punished for their participation in demonstrations, especially against war.