A report from Yale’s School of Public Health revealed recently that Russian presidential aircraft and funds were involved in a program that took Ukrainian children from occupied territories and stripped them of their Ukrainian identity, and also placed them with Russian families.
The research which was supported by the US State Department and released on Tuesday, identified 314 Ukrainian children were transported to Russia in the early stages of the war. This was part of what the report deeply elaborated as a systematic, Kremlin-funded effort to "Russify" the children.
Reuters was not able to independently verify the findings of the report.
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) filed arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his commissioner for children's rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, for their alleged presence in the war crime of deporting Ukrainian children.
Lvova-Belova, at the time, defended her actions, which claimed they were done on humanitarian grounds to protect children in areas affected by military quarrels. Her office did not instantly respond to requests for comment. The Kremlin also rejected to comment on Monday, citing time issue.
The new report provides additional details about the deportation program, by naming individuals who are involved and revealing new connections to Putin. Nathaniel Raymond, Executive Director of Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab, said that he was scheduled to present the findings to the UN Security Council on Wednesday, along with the United States holding the rotating presidency of the 15-member body this month.
Raymond elaborated that the findings provide strong evidence supporting further charges by the ICC against Putin for the "forcible transfer" of Ukrainian children is a crime against humanity under international law. These crimes are considered more big than the war crimes Putin is already charged with regard to the deportation of Ukrainian children.
The reply to Reuters' inquiries, the ICC’s office of the prosecutor acknowledged that the Yale report was useful in advancing their investigation, but cancelled to provide additional details regarding potential charges or further actions rooting from their ongoing investigation in Ukraine.