Russian President Vladimir Putin praised First Lady Melania Trump's efforts in reuniting Russian and Ukrainian children with their families during a phone call with Donald Trump. Trump conveyed greetings from his wife and gratitude for Russian assistance.
Russia has forcibly transferred over 20,000 Ukrainian children since 2014, with investigations deeming many transfers unlawful under international law. Despite international condemnation and sanctions, Russia uses the children as bargaining chips, while Ukraine and NGOs work to reunite families.
Russia denies accusations of deporting or forcibly transferring over 20,000 Ukrainian children, labeling claims as 'anti-Russian propaganda' and stating its actions as 'humanitarian evacuation measures' to protect children from combat zones.
Envoys from the EU, Canada, and Ukraine to South Korea called for international cooperation to address the "large-scale and systematic" deportation of over 20,000 Ukrainian children by Russia since 2014. They highlighted the difficulty in tracing children due to Russia's lack of information and urged global efforts to protect children in conflict.
Eighty-five Russia-linked people and entities have been sanctioned as part of a UK government crackdown on “pro-Kremlin narratives abroad”. The sanctions, imposed on Monday, were designed to target 29 individuals and organisations thought to have helped Russia forcibly deport and militarise Ukrainian children. More than 20,000 Ukrainian children have been taken to Russia and the territories which it has occupied, according to the UK Foreign Office. A further 56 individuals and organisations have...
A display of 20,000 teddy bears on the National Mall represents Ukrainian children forcibly transferred to Russia, as advocates and officials urge stronger international intervention to secure their return.
