Russia: Russia on Tuesday rejected accusations it has deported or forcibly transferred Ukrainian children to Russian territory, describing the allegations as anti-Russian propaganda and insisting that it has taken "humanitarian evacuation measures" aimed at protecting the children.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Russian Ambassador to South Korea Georgy Zinoviev stated that a recent op-ed jointly contributed by senior diplomats of the European Union (EU), Canada, and Ukraine "presents a deeply biased and politically charged interpretation of a highly complex humanitarian issue." In the op-ed titled "Every Child Has the Right to Live Safely at Home," the diplomats called on the international community to address what they described as Russia's "large-scale and systematic" violations of children's rights.
The op-ed claims that more than 20,000 Ukrainian children have been deported or forcibly separated from their families during the conflict. Zinoviev, however, criticized these claims as "simplified political narratives portraying humanitarian evacuation measures as deliberate criminal acts" and argued that substantial evidence for the figure has not been provided. He emphasized that Moscow has been evacuating civilians from dangerous areas and providing necessary care.
Zinoviev further explained that children's institutions in Donetsk, Lugansk, and other front-line areas were evacuated due to constant shelling by Ukrainian forces, asserting that relocating children away from combat zones was in their best interests. He mentioned that Russia has received approximately 5.3 million residents from Ukraine and the Donbas region since February 2022, including over 740,000 children, most of whom arrived with family members.
The ambassador highlighted that around 380 orphans and children without parental care were placed with Russian families between April and October 2022 to provide family-based care during the emergency period. Moreover, over 4,800 teenagers and family members from conflict-affected regions have participated in rehabilitation programs organized by Russia since 2022.
Zinoviev noted the complexities of reunification efforts, citing wartime restrictions and logistical challenges faced by families. He criticized the portrayal of evacuations as "abductions," arguing that it oversimplifies the humanitarian crisis and undermines genuine efforts to protect children.
Russia continues to engage with international organizations on child protection issues, including recent discussions in Moscow with the U.N. special representative for children and armed conflict. Zinoviev also condemned Ukraine's language policy, labeling it a violation of human rights, as it effectively bans the use of Russian on a state level.
Detailed information on this issue is available in a bulletin published by the Office of the Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights, as stated by the Russian embassy. The initiative by the EU, Canada, and Ukraine is part of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, which includes 49 countries and international organizations but not South Korea.