Today is a moment to reflect on the plight of Ukrainian children who have become victims of Russia’s illegal invasion. We all have an obligation to protect children and must not allow Russia to use them as pawns of war.
According to the Government of Ukraine, corroborated by independent mechanisms, more than 19,500 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia or within the temporarily occupied territories.
Furthermore, the UN High Commissioner’s report describes widespread violations of Children’s rights more than 1.6 million Ukrainian children remain under Russian occupation, forced to study Russian curricula, and subjected to a policy of indoctrination and militarisation.
This is clearly a systematic, despicable attempt to erase Ukrainian identity, and with it, Ukraine’s future. We must stand with Ukraine in defending its future generations.
But this is not the only challenge Ukraine’s children face. They are growing up in the shadow of Russian aggression, experiencing Moscow’s relentless aerial bombardment, of the nearly 53,000 verified civilian casualties from the start of the invasion, more than 3,000 have been children.
358 educational institutions have been destroyed by aerial bombardments, and just a month ago strikes hit a kindergarten in Kharkiv. No one should spend their childhood witnessing death and destruction.
The UK calls on Russia to comply with international humanitarian law, end the forcible transfer of children from occupied territory; and immediately withdraw its troops to stop this unjustifiable invasion and children’s suffering.
We demand the safe, immediate return of all Ukrainian children, with the UN and international community facilitating and verifying the process.
Every member of this Chamber has a duty to uphold peace and security; we must use every lever to pressure Russia to end their invasion of Ukraine, cease these vile deportations, and return all Ukrainian children.
