“The Kremlin’s attempt to issue Russian passports to Ukrainian children from the occupied territories is cynical and illegal,” stated Alona Lebedieva, the founder of the Ukrainian investment and industrial holding Aurum Group and the charity fund “AURUM”.
“The cynicism of the Russian authorities knows no bounds. Putin issues a decree that allows him to decide the fate of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children with one stroke of the pen,” she continued.
“And in order to try to legalise their deportation, the totalitarian state is willing to violate its own laws. Moscow is not just trying to destroy our nation, but is also trying to improve its gene pool thanks to Ukrainian children”.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has already notified the International Criminal Court about the Kremlin’s new crime.
The Ministry’s also called upon the international community to implement the warrant for Putin’s arrest issued by the International Criminal Court as soon as possible.
“Ukraine does not recognise the forced change of citizenship of young Ukrainians and will fight for everyone’s return.
“At this point, it was possible to return home about 400 young Ukrainians. And every news about the return of 1-2 children is already a victory.
All children stolen by Russia remain Ukrainians. We will not allow them to change their identity, make them forget their roots! And we will fight for everyone to return to the Motherland,” Lebedieva concluded.
On January 4th 2024 the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, signed a decree according to which orphans and children left without parental care can receive Russian citizenship by personal decision of the President of the Russian Federation.
Heads of Russian organisations in which Ukrainian children are forcibly detained can submit an application for Russian citizenship.
The reaction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine was to issue an appeal to the international community with a request to implement the warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for the arrest of Vladimir Putin, taking the necessary measures to detain him for transfer to the bodies of international justice.
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Read also – Alona Lebedieva: “Russia is committing genocide against the Ukrainian nation by illegally deporting 1,000s of Ukrainian children”
“Russia is committing genocide against the Ukrainian nation by illegally deporting thousands of Ukrainian children, and it must be punished for it.
Talking with European officials, I made sure that they share our pain and that they are supportive.”
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