Canada has imposed sanctions on eight Russians involved in the abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. The sanctions list includes Russian officials, leaders of youth organisations and representatives of the occupation administrations.
This was reported on the Canadian government’s website.
The sanctions apply to people involved in the deportation of Ukrainian children at various levels – from the direct removal of children from temporarily occupied territories to providing financial resources for the relevant programmes.
According to information from the organisation “Bring Kids Back UA”, those listed include the head of Russia’s Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Grigory Gurov, the chair of the board of Russia’s “Movement of the First” Artur Orlov, a representative of the office of the Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights Vladimir Khromov, as well as Russia’s Minister for Emergency Situations Aleksandr Kurenkov.
Canada also imposed sanctions on Kurenkov’s wife, Olena Milska, the head of the so-called regional branch of the “Movement of the First” in occupied Donetsk region, Denys Chornobai, the director of the Oleshky children’s residential care home Vitalii Suk, and a representative of the youth structures of the occupation administration in Donetsk Aleksandra Kulhina.
The sanctions came into force on 4 September 2026.
Grigory Gurov – head of Russia’s Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (“Rosmolodezh”), previously chaired the board of the “Movement of the First”. He implements programmes linked to the removal of Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories to Russia and their integration into the Russian educational and upbringing system.
Artur Orlov – chair of the board of the all-Russian children’s and youth movement “Movement of the First”. The organisation conducts so-called military-patriotic education of Ukrainian children in the occupied territories, involves them in Russian youth and militarised programmes, and organises trips to Russia.
Denys Chornobai – head of the so-called regional branch of the “Movement of the First” in occupied Donetsk. He leads a structure that draws children from the occupied territories into Russian youth and militarised programmes.
Vladimir Khromov – an official in the office of the Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights. This body takes part in the system of removing Ukrainian children and subsequently “placing” them with Russian families and in institutions.
Olena Milska – chair of the board of trustees of Russia’s National Centre for Assistance to Missing and Affected Children and president of the “Archangel Michael” foundation. According to Bring Kids Back UA, her activities were linked to the removal of Ukrainian children, including orphans, from temporarily occupied territories to Russia.
Aleksandr Kurenkov – Russia’s Minister for Emergency Situations and a member of the Russian Military-Industrial Commission. Canada included him in the sanctions package due to his involvement in the removal and indoctrination of Ukrainian children.
Vitalii Suk – director of the Oleshky residential care home for children with disabilities in occupied Kherson region. According to Bring Kids Back UA, after switching to the side of the occupation administration he controlled the fate of the children from the institution.
Aleksandra Kulhina – an official in the youth structures of the occupation administration in Donetsk, involved in drawing children and young people from the occupied territories into Russian youth and labour programmes.
According to the Canadian government, following the introduction of the new package, its sanctions against Russia now cover more than 3,500 individuals and organisations. Separately, more than 600 vessels of Russia’s shadow fleet are under sanctions.
Canada is a co-chair of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.
- In May this year, Canada announced an expansion of sanctions against individuals and organisations involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children and their deportation to Russia.
- The country imposed sanctions on 23 individuals and five organisations involved in the illegal deportation, forced transfer, ideological indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children on the territory of Russia and in the temporarily occupied territories of our country.