The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution Wednesday demanding that Russia ensure the immediate return of all Ukrainian children who have been "forcibly transferred or deported," calling the actions “a violation of international law."
The resolution passed with 91 votes in favor, 12 against and 57 abstentions during the Eleventh Emergency Special Session on Aggression against Ukraine.
The resolution "demands that the Russian Federation ensure the immediate, safe and unconditional return of all Ukrainian children who have been forcibly transferred or deported."
It expresses "deep concern about the impact of the war on children...including those forcibly transferred within the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine by the Russian Federation and those deported to the Russian Federation."
The General Assembly said that such actions violate international law "which prohibits individual or mass forcible transfers...from occupied territory to the territory of the occupying power."
The resolution deplored "legislative and administrative measures taken by the Russian Federation since 2022 that simplify the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship for Ukrainian children, particularly orphans, children deprived of parental care and unaccompanied children."
It also condemned "the separation of families and of children from legal guardians, and any subsequent forced change of children's personal status, their citizenship, adoption or placement in foster families, and efforts to indoctrinate them."
The resolution urges Russia "to cease, without delay, any further practice of forcible transfer, deportation, separation from families and legal guardians, change of personal status...and indoctrination of Ukrainian children."
It requests UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to engage with Russia "to facilitate the immediate, safe and unconditional return of all Ukrainian children who have been forcibly transferred or deported" and ensure "unimpeded access for United Nations entities and other relevant international monitoring and humanitarian organizations to verify the situation of Ukrainian children."
The resolution stresses "the need to investigate and ensure accountability for those responsible for forcible transfers and deportations of children."
Russia denies accusations of forcibly transferring or deporting Ukrainian children, claiming all movements are voluntary evacuations to protect them from conflict zones.
