UK Sanctions Russian Officials Over War Crimes Against Children
The United Kingdom has announced a new package of sanctions against Russian officials and organizations involved in the forced deportation, indoctrination, and militarization of Ukrainian children in the temporarily occupied territories.
The Gaze reports on it, citing the UK government's press release.
On September 3, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on individuals and organizations involved in the deportation, indoctrination, and militarization of Ukrainian children. The list includes eight Russian officials and three state or state-affiliated organizations.
According to intelligence and UN reports, Russia is pursuing a systematic policy of Russification in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, seeking to destroy Ukrainian cultural identity and statehood. Russian curricula have been introduced in schools in these territories, and children are being prepared for service in the Russian army.
To date, more than 19,500 Ukrainian children have been forcibly displaced or deported to Russia or the temporarily occupied territories, of whom about 6,000 have been sent to re-education camps. In such institutions, children are subjected to ideological indoctrination, Russian propaganda is disseminated, and pro-Russian patriotism is encouraged.
The programs also rewrite history, glorify Russian military actions, and sometimes include military training aimed at preparing young people for service in the Russian army.
“The Kremlin’s policy of forced deportations, indoctrination and militarisation of Ukrainian children is despicable, and demonstrates the depths of depravity that President Putin will reach to erase Ukrainian language, culture and identity,” said Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
The updated sanctions list includes both state structures and private organizations affiliated with the Kremlin.
Among them is the Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation, which runs re-education programs for Ukrainian children and teenagers, subjecting them to militaristic training. The president of the Foundation, Aymani Nesievna Kadyrova, mother of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, has also been sanctioned.
Valery Maiorov, head of the state-run ‘Teenage Programs Center’, which seeks to instill pro-Russian sentiments in children in temporarily occupied territories, and Anastasia Akkuratova, deputy director of the Ministry of Education's department responsible for organizing the indoctrination and Russification of Ukrainian children, were also sanctioned.
Notably, since the start of the full-scale war, London has allocated more than £21.8 billion to Ukraine, including £13 billion in military aid and £5.3 billion in non-military support. Sanctions against those guilty of crimes against children are the latest step in increasing pressure on Russia.
“We must continue to support Ukraine’s fight to defend the freedoms and values we closely share in the UK, putting them in strongest position on the battlefield and in any negotiations that follow,” said Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard MP.
As The Gaze previously reported, the British government has announced it will extend its Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme (UPE) for an additional two years.