Unacceptable Actions: UK Implements Sanctions on Russia for ‘Relocating’ Ukrainian Children
UK Imposes New Sanctions on Russia for “Forced Deportation” of Ukrainian Children
The UK government has announced fresh sanctions against Russia in response to allegations of “forced deportation” of children from Ukraine to Russian-controlled territory. The move is aimed at addressing what the UK considers Russia’s attempts to undermine Ukrainian national identity.
Foreign Minister James Cleverly revealed 14 sanctions targeting individuals involved in the “forced deportation” of Ukrainian children. The announcement was made ahead of Cleverly’s speech at the UN Security Council (UNSC) during a session on the conflict in Ukraine.
Among the sanctioned individuals are Russia’s Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov and the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Moscow Region, Ksenia Mishonova, according to a statement by the Foreign Office cited by AFP.
The UK accuses the sanctioned individuals of playing a role in Russia’s calculated program of deportation, which aims to erode Ukrainian cultural and national identity. The statement emphasizes that Russian authorities have forcibly deported over 19,000 Ukrainian children to Russia or temporarily Russian-controlled territories.
Many of these children are reportedly relocated to re-education camps where they are exposed to an education system that emphasizes Russian-centric academic, cultural, patriotic, and military teachings.
Cleverly condemned the “chilling program of forced child deportation” and the associated hate-filled propaganda, asserting that it reveals President Putin’s true intention of erasing Ukraine from the map. The newly imposed sanctions aim to hold accountable those who support Putin’s regime and advocate for the destruction of Ukraine’s national identity and future.
Previously, the UK had already sanctioned Russia’s Children’s Rights Commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, for her alleged involvement in the forced transfer and adoption of Ukrainian children.
In addition to the latest sanctions, two individuals were targeted for spreading propaganda that incites violence and hatred towards Ukraine and its people. Among them is Anton Krasovsky, a former presenter at Russia Today.
Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova is also subject to the sanctions for her alleged support of the Russian state’s anti-Ukrainian policies.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the UK, alongside international partners, has imposed sanctions on more than 1,600 individuals and entities.
