For children in the U.S., the back-to-school season evokes a mix of emotions: nostalgia for another summer ended, excitement about seeing friends again and learning new things, and the butterflies that accompany any major life change. It is a time for many kids to pick out a new lunchbox and recommit to learning as they embark on their journey to adulthood.
Tragically, for Ukraine’s children, this back-to-school season is about trying to survive Russia’s war of aggression. The U.N. Secretary-General’s annual report on children and armed conflict has documented hundreds of cases of abuse by Russia’s armed forces, including the killing and maiming of children resulting from attacks with heavy artillery, multiple-launch rocket systems, and air strikes. In addition, the U.N. report noted 480 attacks on schools and hospitals attributed to Russia’s armed forces and affiliated armed groups. Ukraine’s children have witnessed, and experienced, events that will haunt them forever: seeing loved ones killed, forcibly displaced, or abused as well as their homes and communities destroyed.
The Conflict Observatory, a program supported by the State Department’s Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations in partnership with Esri, the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative, Planetscape Ai, and Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab, has provided independent documentation of the impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine’s civilian population, and especially on children. Their findings have shed light on the extent of these abuses.
One particularly depraved element of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine stands out: the forcible transfer and deportation of Ukraine’s children. In February 2023, the Conflict Observatory provided comprehensive empirical data that Russia is systematically and forcibly relocating Ukraine’s children. Children are transferred to camps in occupied areas of Ukraine or deported to camps in Russia. Some are placed up for so-called “adoption” or “foster care” with Russian families. These transfers and deportations have been carried out in chilling patterns, with families being deceived and contact with their children severed, and care facilities becoming empty with no records of the children’s whereabouts.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., exposed this horrifying reality, stating, “Children are literally being ripped from their homes.” Once in Russia’s custody, Ukrainian children are subjected to pro-Russia re-education programs, indoctrination, and even military training. Some are manipulated into believing that their parents don’t want them, while others face punishment if they don’t fully renounce their Ukrainian identities. Russian citizenship is forcibly imposed upon many of them through a system of forced “passportization.”
Russia has responded to condemnations of its unconscionable actions with a barrage of denial, disinformation, and propaganda. However, the U.N.’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine concluded that these transfers were not justified and did not meet the requirements of the laws of war.
The international community has joined Ukraine in demanding accountability for these atrocities. The U.S., E.U., and U.K. have established the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA) to support Ukraine’s prosecutors in identifying and charging those responsible for the crimes committed in Ukraine. The ACA deploys teams of experts to assist in building case files, tracking suspects, and ensuring due process. Simultaneously, an unprecedented 43 states referred Russia’s atrocities in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. The ICC has already issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and his Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, marking a vital step towards justice.
Back home in the U.S., Congress amended the War Crimes Act to allow for the prosecution of war crimes regardless of nationality or the location of the crime. Attorney General Merrick Garland has established a specialized War Crimes Accountability Team within the Department of Justice, while the U.S. has also imposed sanctions on individuals and entities involved in the transfer or deportation of Ukraine’s children.
Achieving justice for these heinous crimes will be a long-term effort that demands unwavering perseverance from prosecutorial authorities worldwide. Evidence collection, case preparation, and swift actions against perpetrators within their jurisdictional reach will be crucial. Those responsible must understand that impunity is fleeting, international justice is relentless, and war crimes prosecutors are dedicated to holding them accountable.
The children of Ukraine deserve nothing less than our collective commitment to securing justice and ensuring their safety and well-being. The international community must stand united in supporting Ukraine’s efforts and sending a clear message that crimes against children will not go unpunished. Together, we can work towards a future where children can flourish and thrive, free from the horrors of war and aggression.
Market Capital Research 