13th package of EU sanctions against Russia to target abduction of Ukrainian children

The new EU sanctions package against Russia will include a noticeable section on the abduction of Ukrainian children and their transportation to occupied Crimea, Belarus, and Russia.

Source: The Guardian

Quote: "On the draft list that was approved by EU representatives were a series of men and women said to be directly involved [in the abduction of children – ed.]," the newspaper writes.

Among these people is Inna Varlamova, the wife of Sergei Mironov, a Russian State Duma MP and the leader of the Just Russia – For Truth political party. It should be noted that she changed the names and places of birth for one of her children.

"Together with her husband, Varlamova adopted a child who was kidnapped from an orphanage in Kherson, a Ukrainian city which fell under Russian illegal occupation. Varlamova personally travelled to the Kherson region and illegally transported two children to the Russian Federation. For one of the children, the last name was changed to Mironova and her place of birth was changed to Podolsk, Russia, instead of Kherson, Ukraine," The Guardian reports.

Marina Peschanskaya, the Commissioner for Children's Rights in Russian-occupied Sevastopol, was included on the draft sanctions list. In this position, she personally took part in the illegal transportation of children from an orphanage in Melitopol to Sevastopol.

The list also includes several Belarusians, particularly Dmitriy Demidov and Olga Volkova, who are described as key figures in the forced deportation of Ukrainian children to Belarus and their subsequent illegal adoption by Russian and Belarusian families.

According to a Yale University study published last year, Belarus is accused of deporting over 2,400 Ukrainian children.

The draft sanctions list also details an attempt to re-educate children through patriotic military schools, in which students aged 6 to 18 meet with Russian military personnel. These children are encouraged to write "letters of support" and learn how to fly unmanned aerial vehicles.

Background: On Wednesday, EU permanent representatives agreed to approve the 13th package of sanctions against Russia,which is expected to be finalised by the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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