EU Sanctions Individuals and Entities Complicit in Russian Abduction of Ukrainian Children

Latest Developments

Asset Freezes and Travel Bans Imposed: The European Union imposed asset freezes and travel bans on 16 individuals and seven centers in Russia assessed to be complicit in the “unlawful adoption and removal to the Russian Federation and within temporarily occupied territories” of Ukrainian children. According to Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back initiative, more than 20,500 children have been “unlawfully deported or forcibly transferred to Russia or Russian-held territories in Eastern Ukraine,” where many undergo indoctrination and militarized education.
U.K. and Canada Levy Additional Sanctions: Concurrently, the United Kingdom and Canada issued sanctions linked to the deportation of Ukrainian children on May 11. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that her country “will continue to work alongside our allies to support every effort to identify and trace the children that have been cruelly taken from their communities and bring them home.”
Details of Sanction Targets: The sanctioned entities included several children’s centers affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Education, such as Orlyonok, Scarlet Sails, and Smena. Likewise, several organizations complicit in militarization were also sanctioned, including the DOSAAF Center in Sevastopol, the Nakhimov Naval School, and the Patriot military-patriotic club in Crimea. Among the individuals sanctioned were camp administrators, including Lilya Shvetsova, head of the Red Carnation camp in Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia.

FDD Expert Response

“Moscow’s crimes against Ukrainian children speak to the imperialistic nature of Putin’s war. Any peace settlement should include the return of all children wrongfully deported.” — John Hardie, Russia Program Deputy Director

“The European Union’s action is a small step toward rectifying a horrific injustice. By stealing Ukraine’s children, Russia is attempting to steal the country’s future. Today’s sanctions expose the systemic brutality of Russia’s invasion and target those who oversee these camps. The war will not be over for thousands of Ukrainian families until their children are returned.” — Peter Doran, Adjunct Senior Fellow