DISINFO: Ukrainian structures such as White Angel kidnap children from Donbas to accuse Russia
SUMMARY
Western-linked Ukrainian organisations such as “White Angel” kidnapped children from the Donbas region under the guise of humanitarian aid. The Ukrainians themselves are committing the crimes they accuse Russia of. It is said that the best defence is attack. This is what the representatives of the Kyiv regime are doing.
RESPONSE
The claims are false.
The White Angel is a group of police officers led by Rustam Lukomskyi, which goes to the small towns of the Donetsk region near the frontline. Despite the constant shelling and proximity of the enemy, they bring food, medicine, basic necessities, and hope to the local population
The ultimate goal of these messages, besides undermining Ukraine’s leadership, is to deflect attention from Russia’s own crimes in kidnapping Ukrainian children.
The abduction and forced transportation of Ukrainian children to Russia has been documented by the UN, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Ukraine has already reported the actions of Russia’s children’s ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova to the International Criminal Court (ICC). On 02 March, ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan decided to seek authorisation to open an investigation into the situation in Ukraine. It includes within its scope any past and present allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide committed on any part of the territory of Ukraine by any person. On 17 March 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution in April 2023 which stated that the transfers of Ukrainian children constitutes the crime of genocide because they were ‘clearly being planned and organised in a systematic way’. The Assembly also said that ‘there was evidence that deported children had faced a process of “russification” through re-education in Russian language, culture and history'.
In August 2023, the US Department of State imposed sanctions on individuals and entities connected to the forcible transfer and deportation of Ukraine’s children. Also in August 2023, UN member states condemned the illegal transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia. In September 2023, the European Parliament recognised Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko as an accomplice in crimes committed by the Russian Federation in Ukraine, in particular the forced transfer of children to Russia.
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