Over 2,000 children illegally deported to Russia from CADLR – Foreign Ministry

The Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry has accused Russia of deporting more than 2,000 Ukrainian children from the Certain Areas of Donetsk Region and Luhansk Region (CADLR) to Russia illegally.

The relevant statement was made by the ministry’s press service, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“According to the information received, on March 19, 2022, the Russian occupation forces illegally deported to the territory of the Russian Federation 2,389 children, who were in the occupied districts of Donetsk Region and Luhansk Region. The forced displacement of civilians to the territory of the aggressor state, namely children, shows signs of abduction. Such actions are a gross violation of the international law, in particular the international humanitarian law,” the ministry noted.

Ukrainian diplomats called on the international community to immediately react to the illegal displacement of children, as well as increase pressure on Russia to make it stop the barbaric war against the Ukrainian people.

“The facts of the abduction of children, as well as hundreds of other facts of crimes committed by Russian occupiers against civilians in Ukraine are being thoroughly investigated by law enforcement agencies. The perpetuators of these crimes will be brought to justice,” the ministry stressed.

A reminder that, on February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, starting a war. Russian troops are shelling and destroying the key infrastructure facilities, launching missile and air strikes on Ukrainian cities and villages, killing civilians.

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