EU imposes new sanctions on Russia over abduction of Ukrainian children

The Council of the European Union on 11 May imposed sanctions on 16 individuals and seven legal entities responsible for the systematic illegal deportation, forced transfer and forced assimilation of Ukrainian minors, including through militarised education, as well as their unlawful adoption and transfer to Russia and temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.

Source: European Pravda, citing a press release by the Council of the EU

Details: Russia is estimated to have deported and abducted almost 20,500 Ukrainian children since the start of its war against Ukraine.

The list of sanctioned entities includes federal state institutions linked to the Russian Ministry of Education such as the All-Russian Children's Centres Orlyonok, Scarlet Sails, and Smena.

The European Council states that these centres organise programmes for Ukrainian children in which they are subjected to pro-Russian ideological indoctrination, including through "patriotic events, ideological education and military-oriented activities".

Background:

• The sanctions have been announced at a high-level meeting co-chaired by the EU, Ukraine and Canada that aims to plan specific steps to bring children abducted by Russia back to Ukraine and to hold Russia accountable.
• Lithuania has pledged to allocate more than €10 million to support initiatives related to the return of children abducted by Russia, as well as psychological and medical rehabilitation, strengthening the child protection system and ensuring accountability for crimes.

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