The UN General Assembly supported a resolution demanding that Russia return deported Ukrainian children

The UN General Assembly late on the evening of December 3 adopted a resolution demanding the return of all illegally removed Ukrainian children.

This was reported by the organizationʼs press service.

The document was supported by 91 countries, with 12 against, namely: Russia, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cuba, North Korea, Eritrea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Niger, and Sudan.

Another 57 countries abstained, including China, India and Brazil.

The document demands that the Russian Federation return all Ukrainian children who have been forcibly relocated or deported. Moscow was also called upon to cease further deportations and the practices of family separation, citizenship change, adoption or foster care, and ideological indoctrination.

The resolution concerns children separated from their families since Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014. This includes both children who were transported within the occupied territory of Ukraine and those who were deported to Russia.

• The deportation of Ukrainian children is one of Russiaʼs war crimes, for which the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Putin and the Russian Childrenʼs Ombudsman, Maria Lvova-Belova.
• Ukraine has officially confirmed that Russia has abducted almost 19 500 Ukrainian children. The Russian Federation itself says that it has taken away 744 000 children. Only about 1 800 have been returned to Ukraine. Ukraine also has evidence that Belarus is participating in the deportation of Ukrainian children.

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