The Ukrainian authorities have confirmed that the forced transfer of Ukrainian children and prisoners of war took place through the territory of Belarus with the participation of Minsk.
The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets stated this at a briefing, Ukrinform reports.
"We have confirmation that Ukrainian children, civilian hostages, and prisoners of war were forcibly moved across the territory of Belarus with the direct involvement of the Belarusian authorities," he noted.
Ukraine is investigating the role of Belarus in the deportation of Ukrainian children who were forcibly removed by Russia from the occupied territories.
The Belarusian opposition has published a report, which claims that Lukashenkaʼs government participated in the illegal deportation of children from the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. It stated that 2 150 Ukrainian children (especially orphans aged 6 to 15) were sent to so-called recreation camps and sanatoriums on the territory of Belarus. The children were taken to the sanatorium "Zoloti Pisky" in the Gomel region, the sanatorium "Ostroshytske Mistechko" and the camp "Dubrava" in Minsk. Lukashenko personally ordered the transfer of the children to Belarus and facilitated this in every way.
- In April, Putin signed a decree that provides for the "deportation" of Ukrainians from the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. That is, Ukrainians who live in the occupied territories and have decided to retain Ukrainian citizenship have the right to stay there until July 1, 2024. After that, they can be deported.
- On March 17, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Putin and Russian Childrenʼs Ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova. They are suspected of illegally deporting children from the occupied regions of Ukraine to Russia.