Russia is kidnapping children in Ukraine, says US embassy
- The allegations that 2,389 children were illegally taken across the border come amid reports of civilians being forcibly relocated to distant parts of Russia
- The mayor of the besieged city of Mariupol compared the ‘kidnappings’ to the actions of the Nazis during World War II
The US embassy accused Russia of “kidnapping” thousands of Ukrainian children as local officials alleged Russian troops are forcing deportations of civilians as they bombard eastern cities.
“According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Russian forces have illegally removed 2,389 Ukrainian children from Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts to Russia,” the US embassy in Kyiv tweeted on Tuesday.
“This is not assistance. It is kidnapping,” they said.
On Monday, Ukraine accused Russia of forcing Ukrainians in the besieged city of Mariupol into Russia, Insider previously reported.
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Ukrainian city of Mariupol descends into despair with over 2,000 people killed since start of war
Ukrainian MP Inna Sovsun said on Sunday that those trapped in Mariupol were taken across the border against their will.