Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a public accusation in an exclusive interview with CBS News. He stated that his government has evidence Russia is abducting Ukrainian children to train them against fellow Ukrainians, which the International Criminal Court considers a war crime.
This allegation marks the first time Zelenskyy publicly accused Russia of such actions. The International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Putin in 2023 due to an “unlawful deportation program,” including children. The Kremlin described it as a humanitarian effort to care for orphans, showing images of Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova embracing some kids.
Zelenskyy emphasized that while they seek back Ukrainian soldiers and prisoners, exchanging them for children is illegal under international law. He also highlighted the U.S.-funded Yale School of Public Health’s report in March, which concluded with high confidence that Gazprom and Rosneft helped fund reeducation camps for over 2,000 Ukrainian children.
The report argued that Trump administration’s temporary sanctions relief on Russian oil has benefited these companies. Zelenskyy criticized the lifting of U.S. sanctions on some Russian oil sales as inadvertently fueling Russia’s abduction program.
He urged Congress to impose stricter sanctions on Russians in retaliation for the alleged child abduction scheme. Zelenskyy also revealed that Ukraine documented at least 20,000 Ukrainian children abducted and seeks assistance in tracking more abductees.