UK sanctions Russians involved in abduction of Ukrainian children

The UK government has imposed sanctions against those who forcibly deport, indoctrinate and militarise Ukrainian children, including the mother of Kremlin-controlled Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

Source: European Pravda, citing a statement by the UK government

Details: The statement noted that the sanctions are being imposed on individuals who are "perpetrators of Russia’s heinous policy to deport, indoctrinate and militarise Ukrainian children".

Among them are eight individuals and three organisations affiliated with the Russian state. This includes organisations such as the Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation, which runs programmes to re-educate Ukrainian children and adolescents by subjecting them to militaristic training. 

The sanctions now also apply to Aymani Nesievna Kadyrova, the foundation's president and the mother of Kremlin-linked Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov.

Also sanctioned is Valery Maiorov, head of the state-funded Teenage Programs Center, which works to turn children in Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories away from Ukraine and towards loyalty to Russia.

"This announcement comes as defence intelligence shows that Russia is pursuing a long-standing Russification policy in illegally temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, seeking to eradicate Ukrainian culture identity and statehood," the statement said.

According to UN reports, Russia has imposed its own curriculum in schools across the temporarily occupied territories and introduced programmes that prepare children for future service in the Russian military.

It is reported that more than 19,500 Ukrainian children have so far been forcibly transferred or deported by Russian authorities to Russia and the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Around 6,000 of them have been sent to a network of so-called re-education camps.

Quote from UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy: "The Kremlin’s policy of forced deportations, indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children is despicable, and demonstrates the depths of depravity that President Putin will reach to erase Ukrainian language, culture and identity. To take a child from their home and seek to forcibly erase their heritage and upbringing through lies and disinformation can never be tolerated. No child should ever be a pawn of war and that is why we are holding those responsible to account."

Background:

• Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, explained what exactly could be included in the 19th package of sanctions against Russia.
• As reported by European Pravda, the EU is considering introducing secondary sanctions to prevent third countries from helping Russia circumvent existing restrictions.
  

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