The European Union has imposed sanctions on 16 individuals accused of assisting Russia in the abduction of tens of thousands of children from Ukraine. The measures, announced on Monday, also target seven centres suspected of indoctrinating children or training them for military service.
Those sanctioned include officials from children's camps, government representatives and military officers. Among them is Lilya Shvetsova, head of the 'Red Carnation' camp in occupied Crimea, whom the EU accused of supervising activities aimed at shaping the political and ideological views of Ukrainian children.
The EU said the asset freezes and travel bans were imposed because the individuals and entities are deemed responsible for actions undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence. Over 130 people and entities are now under EU sanctions over the abductions.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion in early 2022, an estimated 20,500 children have been unlawfully deported or forcibly transferred to Russia or Russian-held territories. EU officials say many are stripped of their Ukrainian identity, given Russian passports and put up for adoption. Some are forced into schools for indoctrination or military camps.
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže described the actions as a feature of genocide under the Genocide Convention. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes over the abductions. Around 2,200 children have been returned, but identifying them remains complicated.
The EU, alongside Canada, hosted a meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children to increase diplomatic pressure on Russia. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said: 'War has really many faces, but stealing the children is really one of the most horrific. We should stop this, and Russia should pay.'
