EU and UK Impose Sanctions on Russia Over Deportation of Ukrainian Children
Al Jazeera
The European Union and the United Kingdom have imposed new sanctions targeting Russian organizations and officials accused of systematically deporting and indoctrinating Ukrainian children. The EU cited that Russia has forcibly deported nearly 20,500 children since February 2022, and the sanctions include asset freezes and travel bans. The UK also sanctioned individuals and entities linked to propaganda and information warfare.
The European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) have jointly imposed new sanctions against Russian organizations and officials accused of systematically deporting and indoctrinating Ukrainian children. The move comes amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
On Monday, the EU announced sanctions against 23 state entities and individuals. The same day, the UK unveiled a larger sanctions package targeting 85 entities and individuals. According to the EU, roughly one-third of these are linked to Russia's alleged campaign to deport and militarize Ukrainian children.
The EU cited that Russia has forcibly deported and transferred nearly 20,500 Ukrainian children since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. The EU considers these actions a serious violation of international law.
The sanctions, which include asset freezes and travel bans, were approved by the 27 EU member states in coordination with Canada and the UK. The EU said the sanctions target entities and individuals involved in programs that subject children to pro-Russian indoctrination, including patriotic events, ideological education, and militarized activities.
Speaking at a press conference, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said: "Stealing children is not a random act. It is a deliberate policy of Russia, a calculated attack on Ukraine's future."
The UK sanctions announcement named the Youth Military-Patriotic Education Training Center, also known as the Warrior Center, a Russian state agency. Reports indicate Ukrainian children there are forced to undergo military training and absorb pro-Kremlin ideology.
Another sanctioned individual is Yulia Sergeevna Velichko, Moscow-appointed youth policy minister in the so-called Luhansk People's Republic, for her role in implementing state-directed initiatives.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper affirmed that Britain will continue working with allies to support all efforts to identify and trace children who have been taken.
Russia has not denied moving children but says it does so to protect them from front-line areas and claims readiness to return them when relatives come forward and are verified.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023 on war crimes charges related to the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine.
Reacting to the sanctions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: "These are people who 'reshape' the identity of Ukrainian children, helping them hate their homeland and one day take up arms against Ukraine."
Beyond the child-related measures, the broader UK sanctions package also targets Russian information warfare. The remaining measures target individuals and organizations linked to alleged Kremlin propaganda campaigns.
Among them are 49 employees of the Social Design Agency, a Russian state-funded organization accused of running disinformation and interference operations, including attempts to establish pro-Russian organizations in Armenia and influence upcoming elections.
Armenia, traditionally a close ally of Russia, has recently been shifting away from Moscow's orbit. Last week, the Armenian ambassador was summoned over what the Kremlin described as "anti-Russian terrorist threats" in a speech by Zelenskyy in Yerevan.
