At least 485 children have been killed since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy said in his evening speech yesterday that these were exclusively victims whose data had been officially registered. In reality, the number is significantly higher. Zelenskyy also referred to the more than 19,500 Ukrainian children who were deported to Russia from occupied territories.
According to the head of state, it has only been possible to bring back the “little Ukrainians” in about 370 cases so far. Russia invaded the neighboring country on February 24, 2022 and currently occupies about 20% of the Ukrainian territory. In mid-March of this year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Commissioner for Child Rights Maria Lwova-Belowa over reports of deportations of Ukrainian children. The legal charge is “war crimes”.
Bypass gun sanctions?
Zelenskyy also said that he thinks Moscow is circumventing international weapons sanctions. Some countries and companies are helping Russia acquire technology aimed at missile production, Ukraine’s president said in his speech. Russia has fired hundreds of missiles at Ukrainian targets since last October. Russia manages to circumvent punitive measures with a network of suppliers.