BRUSSELS — The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions on 16 Russian individuals and seven entities accused of systematically deporting and forcibly transferring Ukrainian children to Russia and occupied territories. The measures, endorsed by EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, include asset freezes and travel bans, barring those listed from entering or transiting through EU territory.
“Of all the horrors inflicted by Russia’s war, the deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children is one of the worst crimes,” said Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, after the Council meeting. The sanctions target those responsible for what the EU describes as a deliberate policy of erasing Ukrainian identity through indoctrination, militarised education, and unlawful adoption.
According to an EU Council statement, the actions “constitute grave breaches of international law and a violation of the fundamental rights of the child and aim to erase Ukrainian identity and undermine the preservation of its future generations.” The list now includes over 130 individuals and entities sanctioned for their role in the abductions.
Scale of the Abductions
Ukraine has verified the deportation of more than 20,500 children to Russia. Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab estimates the number could be closer to 35,000, while Moscow has suggested it may be as high as 700,000. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stressed that this is not an accident of war. “This is not collateral damage. This is a deliberate Russian policy aimed at destroying Ukrainian identity. Children are forced to forget who they are, where they come from and even their language,” he said.
The seven newly sanctioned entities include Russian federal state institutions linked to the Ministry of Education. In coordination with Moscow-installed occupation authorities, they are accused of organising programmes that subject Ukrainian children to pro-Russian indoctrination through patriotic events, ideological education, and military-oriented activities.
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže underscored the gravity of the situation. “Russia is trying to erase their identity. When you look at the Genocide Convention, it’s one of the features of the genocide crime. So, it’s very serious,” she said.
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in March 2023 for war crimes related to the abductions, holding him personally responsible.
International Coalition for Return
Alongside the sanctions, the EU hosted a meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, co-chaired with Canada, to increase diplomatic pressure on Moscow and coordinate efforts to trace and verify the whereabouts of the children. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos described the situation as horrific. “War has really many faces, but stealing the children is really one of the most horrific. We should stop this, and Russia should pay,” she said. Kos noted that tens of thousands of Ukrainian mothers spent Mother’s Day on Sunday without their children.
Establishing accountability remains complex. Most deported minors have had their identities and documents altered and concealed within the Russian system, making identification nearly impossible. Sybiha called for broader pressure, including on those who facilitate the abductions and those who adopt Ukrainian children through Russian mechanisms. Euronews previously reported that Moscow-installed authorities created an online “catalogue” of Ukrainian children, offering them for coerced adoption through education departments. The children are sorted by age, gender, and physical characteristics, with some labelled as “obedient” or “calm.”
Sybiha said more than 2,000 children have been returned, but thousands remain. “Ukrainian children are not a matter for negotiations or compromise. Their return is unconditional,” he insisted.
The EU’s latest sanctions come as part of a broader effort to hold Russia accountable for its actions in Ukraine. For more on the impact of these measures, see our analysis on how EU sanctions are straining the Russian economy.
