The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions on 16 officials accused of helping Russia abduct tens of thousands of children from Ukraine and forcing many of them to change their identities or be given up for adoption.
Sanctions have also been imposed on seven centers suspected of indoctrinating children or training them to serve in the armed forces, either for Russia or for pro-Russian militias inside Ukraine.
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Letter to the Reader — Why We're Asking for Your Support ContributeOver 130 people and "entities" are now under EU sanctions for the kidnappings.
The EU headquarters has said that the asset freeze and travel bans were imposed because the officials and centers are considered "responsible for actions that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine."
Since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, an estimated 20,500 children have been illegally deported or forcibly transferred to Russia or Russian-held territories in eastern Ukraine.
EU officials say many of the children have been stripped of their Ukrainian identity and culture, given Russian passports and put up for adoption. Some have been forced into indoctrination schools or military camps.
"Russia is trying to erase their identity," Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze said on Monday at a meeting with EU counterparts in Brussels, where the sanctions were approved.
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions.
About 2,200 children have been returned, but identifying them is complicated. Children taken at a young age can be difficult to recognize until years later. Returning them home is a difficult task, and some children are not necessarily welcome when they return.