EU: Russia is deporting Ukrainian children and destroying their national identity
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told the European Parliament on 11 November that the EU has evidence of an organized Russian campaign to deport Ukrainian children, destroy their national identity and potentially force them to fight against Ukraine. The EU is imposing sanctions over deportations, while more than 20,500 Ukrainian children remain illegally taken out of Ukraine.
მთავარი მომენტები
- Kaja Kallas addressed the European Parliament in Brussels on 11 November 2026.
- The EU says it has evidence of an organized Russian campaign of child deportation and destruction of Ukrainian identity.
- More than 20,500 Ukrainian children have been illegally taken out of Ukraine.
- Ukraine has returned 2,719 children as of November 2026, including 13 children and adolescents returned the previous week.
- Kallas said deportations from occupied territories to Russia are personally approved by Vladimir Putin.
- The EU is imposing sanctions on individuals and organizations involved in deportations.
- An OSCE report describes a Russian state-organized campaign targeting children’s Ukrainian identity from early childhood.
რატომ არის მნიშვნელოვანი
The EU’s assessment points to evidence of a possible crime against humanity involving the deportation of Ukrainian children and the destruction of their national identity. Reports that abducted children may be forced to fight against Ukraine raise concerns about children’s participation in hostilities. Sanctions and international calls to determine the children’s location, health and legal status, as well as secure their return, are intended to address the continuing scale of deportations.
რა მოხდა
Kaja Kallas said in the European Parliament on 11 November that the EU has evidence of an organized Russian campaign involving the deportation of Ukrainian children, the destruction of their national identity and the possible use of abducted children in combat against Ukraine. According to her, deportations from temporarily occupied territories to Russia occur with Vladimir Putin’s personal approval. As of November 2026, more than 20,500 Ukrainian children were known to have been illegally taken out of Ukraine, while 2,719 had been returned, including 13 children and adolescents returned the previous week. The EU is imposing sanctions on people and organizations involved in the deportations. Available evidence indicates a possible crime against humanity.
როგორ აშუქებენ უკრაინული წყაროები
Ukrainian sources focus on the evidence of deportations, the destruction of Ukrainian children’s national identity and the possible classification of these actions as a crime against humanity. They also highlight the danger of abducted children being sent to fight against Ukraine and Putin’s alleged personal role in approving deportations from occupied territories. The return of 2,719 children and the call to return every Ukrainian child to their parents are central to the Ukrainian framing.
როგორ აშუქებენ საერთაშორისო წყაროები
The international response focuses on evidence of organized deportations, EU sanctions and UN calls to determine the whereabouts, health and legal status of deported children and secure their return. A December 2025 General Assembly resolution, supported by the EU and other countries, asked the UN secretary-general to engage directly with Russia on these issues.
კონტექსტი
This year’s OSCE report detailed a Russian state-organized campaign on occupied territories aimed at destroying Ukrainian identity among children from early childhood. The EU recently added new children’s camps to its sanctions list, including the international “Sondo-1” camp in North Korea, where Ukrainian children were found. Ukraine’s EU-aligned context includes the December 2025 General Assembly resolution calling for efforts to locate deported children, assess their health and legal status and return them to Ukraine.