The European Parliament overwhelmingly passed a resolution condemning Russia’s forcible deportation and Russification of Ukrainian children, calling it a "genocide" aimed at erasing Ukrainian identity and demanding the unconditional return of all abducted minors.
According to the resolution, Russia targeted vulnerable groups of children for deportation, including orphans and children from low-income families; whereas Ukrainian human rights activists uncovered Kremlin documents dated prior to the full-scale invasion which laid out plans to remove Ukrainian children and bring them to Russia under the guise of “humanitarian evacuations”;
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has identified over 19,500 children who were illegally transferred to Russia, Belarus, or Russian-occupied territories. Fewer than 1,300 have been returned. However, many experts say that the real number is much higher. Citing the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab, the actual figure is estimated to be as high as 35,000 as of March 2025.
Russia's Vladimir Putin signed a decree in May 2022 providing a simplified procedure for the acquisition of Russian citizenship for Ukrainian children; whereas many of the deported children are forced to endure “re-education” facilities, meant to instill pro-Russian sentiments though “military-patriotic” training while others have been forcibly adopted into Russian families; whereas Russia opened a cadet school for abducted Ukrainian children, creating a direct pipeline into the federal security forces.
Russia is conducting a “systematic, intentional, and widespread” campaign of forced adoption and Russification. Many children are enrolled in organizations like Yunarmiya, or the “Young Army,” which trains minors in military skills and indoctrinates them with loyalty to the Kremlin, the Ukrainian newspaper Kyiv Independent reports.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova in connection with the abductions.
I usually agree with you, but i don't consider talking about eu policy on similar issues (although Israel just bombs them, so the result is different) an insult to the kids taken from their Ukrainian parents. I think especially those parents understand why they're not the only ones who deserve to be talked about. What would be absolutely disgusting is defending one countries genocide but calling out another countries genocide.
Also let me add, I didn't think it is humane to compare the pain of these two seperate groups. But I do think it's fair to name the other group when the first group is talked about. They are both being targeted because of their nationality.
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I get your point and don't disagree. What I say is just that this whataboutery (or however we may call it) appears to exclusively work in one direction. As you said, "disgusting is defending one countries genocide but calling out another countries genocide." In my humble opinion, this is what happens often here on Lemmy.