The occupiers have illegally moved more than 7,000 Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation, Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets has said, as quoted by the Voice of America.
"According to our data, more than 7,000 Ukrainian children have been illegally removed to the territory of the Russian Federation. The Russians are doing everything to prevent our children from returning, even simplifying their legislation to make it as easy as possible for Russian citizens to adopt Ukrainian children," he said.
The ombudsman called the removal of Ukrainian children to Russia a violation of international law and genocide of the Ukrainian nation.
By now, Ukraine has managed to bring home 51 children.
Russian and Russian-affiliated forces have been forcibly transferring Ukrainian civilians, including those fleeing combat operations, to the Russian Federation or Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, according to a report by Human Rights Watch.