OPINION:
The crisis of abducted Ukrainian children is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. While some U.S. political leaders frame this war as a territorial dispute necessitating a negotiated settlement, the unwavering resilience and determination of the Ukrainian people stem from a more harrowing reality: the systematic abduction and indoctrination of their children by Russian forces.
Since the onset of the war, Ukrainian authorities have verified the abduction of approximately 19,000 children by Russian forces. These children, forcibly removed from their families, have been subjected to a regime of indoctrination in Russian camps and other atrocities. Russian authorities have even begun listing Ukrainian children on adoption websites, blatantly advertising them to potential adoptive families.
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The Atlantic Council documented that child abduction and indoctrination by Russia began during the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the Donbas region. Estimates suggest that hundreds of thousands of children and possibly over 1 million were “evacuated” during these earlier conflicts, setting a precedent for the current widespread abductions.
Earlier this year, CBS News featured the “unlawful deportation of children” in a report detailing the experiences of children who were separated from their parents at filtration camps and later reunited with family members. These firsthand accounts, presented at the United Nations, underscore the grave human rights violations committed during the siege of Mariupol.
Mykola Kuleba, Founder of Save Ukraine, said that the abductions are an “act of genocide in the heart of Europe.” He elaborated: “With every passing day, these children are being indoctrinated, taught to hate their country and hate the U.S. and NATO. Russia is attempting to annihilate their Ukrainian identity. They are forced to salute the Russian flag and speak the Russian language. They are punished for speaking Ukrainian. Many of the older boys are being prepared to enter military academies, where they will be pushed into the frontlines of the conflict. Others are pressured or tricked into becoming Russian citizens.”
Russia’s positioning of these children as war orphans receiving humanitarian assistance has proved false. An investigative report from Reuters captured the story of Liza Batsura, then age 16, taken from Kherson: “I’ve got my mother, but as far as they were concerned, I was an orphan…They wanted to issue a Russian passport for me and find me a family, a Russian family.”
The practice has been strongly condemned by the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child, with Vice Chair Bragi Gudbrandsson highlighting “measures that Russia has taken, including the presidential decree from January 2024 providing Russian citizenship to forcibly transferred or deported children in a simplified procedure.”
Heartbreakingly, the Institute for Peace identified the use of sexual violence as a tool of war, revealing that abducted children have been sold into human trafficking, and Ukrainian cyber police track online conversations of Russians selling Ukrainian children for pornography.
American leaders need to speak more about these human rights violations and take prompt action to address them and demand their resolution. Recognizing the systematic abduction of Ukrainian children by Russian forces is a critical aspect of the current conflict, one that significantly impacts the determination of the Ukrainian people.
As people of faith, we are uniquely positioned to advocate for protecting the innocent and upholding human dignity, transcending political and national boundaries. This situation goes beyond territorial integrity or economic stability; it is a fight for the future of Ukraine’s children, preserving their identity and humanity, and defending fundamental human rights.
By raising the voices of these families, you can amplify the call for justice, compassion, and the protection of the vulnerable. This embodies the ethical and spiritual values at the heart of our beliefs. If these were your children, would you not keep fighting?
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Lisa Gable is a CEO, former US Ambassador, UN Delegate, and author of Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestseller “Turnaround – How to Change Course When Things Are Going South.” Lisa is recognized worldwide as a turnaround mastermind and innovative businesswoman and started her career in the Reagan administration.
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