The UN member states announced a joint statement regarding the illegal forced deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. Sergiy Kyslytsya, the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations published this document on Twitter on April 5, 2023.
Source: Sergiy Kyslytsya, the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations
The statement was signed by Andorra, Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Great Britain and the USA.
“Member of the United Nations Security Council to spread disinformation about its widespread abduction and unlawful forced deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children. Numerous credible sources, including the International Criminal Court, the International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, academic institutions, trusted media organizations, and independent non-governmental organizations, have all called attention to Russia’s unlawful forced deportation of children from within Ukraine to the Russian Federation,” noted the joint statement of 49 UN countries.
The joint statement also states that the facts of the deportation of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation are obvious: the authorities of the Russian Federation forcibly deported more than 19.5 thousand Ukrainian children to Russia, in particular by separating families.
The Independent UN International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine determined that Russia’s transfer and deportation of children within Ukraine and to the Russian Federation violates international humanitarian law and is a war crime.
“We unequivocally condemn the Russian Federation’s actions in Ukrails including and in particular the forced deportation of Ukrainian children as well as other grave violations against children committed by Russian forces in Ukraine. No amount of disinformation spread by the Russian Federation can deny the truth of the matter nor shield individuals from accountability for these crimes,” added the representatives of 49 UN countries.
See also: At least 501 children were killed in Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war, – UN
