Ukraine demands return of children taken by Russia: How did Kyiv come up with the list?

During nan 2nd information of nonstop talks successful Istanbul connected Monday, Ukraine handed complete to Russia a database of its forcefully deported children.

Kyiv wants Moscow to return them to Ukraine, reiterating its committedness to bring nan forcefully deported children backmost arsenic 1 of nan cardinal aspects of a imaginable ceasefire and a bid woody successful nan agelong term.

The caput of nan Ukrainian delegation Rustem Umerov said, “If Russia is genuinely committed to a bid process, nan return of astatine slightest half nan children connected this database is positive”.  

The Russian delegation main Vladimir Medinsky showed nan list, which contains nan names of 339 abducted Ukrainian children. 

The Kremlin typical accused Ukraine of "staging a show connected nan taxable of mislaid children aimed astatine kind-hearted Europeans."  In his words, Kyiv is trying to "squeeze retired a tear by raising this issue."

According to Medinsky, each sanction connected nan database will beryllium “worked out”.

“Whether location are children pinch akin surnames and first names location successful our institutions, further applications from parents aliases ineligible relatives should beryllium attached to this,” he added.

"It's not that they are successful our facilities. It intends that (the whereabouts) of these children is unknown. Maybe (they are) successful Ukraine, possibly location else, possibly successful Norway,” Medinsky said. 

Euronews sources acquainted pinch this facet of nan negotiations opportunity Moscow knows precisely wherever each kid connected that database is. 

Kyiv’s database of forcefully deported children

Kyiv and Moscow person ne'er raised nan rumor of Ukrainian children forcefully deported by Russia successful a nonstop format. 

Ukraine has been capable to verify Russia’s deportation of complete 19,500 children to date. These are nan children for whom elaborate accusation has been collected — their spot of residence successful Ukraine and their territorial location successful Russia are known. 

Only 1,350 person been returned, and each return is mediated by a third-party state, notably by Qatar, South Africa and nan Vatican. 

The Russian delegation was truthful surprised, arsenic it didn’t expect to get nan database of names from Kyiv during nan nonstop talks successful Istanbul connected Monday.

Euronews sources acquainted pinch nan matter said Moscow said it was fresh to return 10 children, but that Kyiv has a "different position and expectations" erstwhile it comes to "demonstrating bully religion successful proceeding pinch nan bid process".

When asked why Kyiv didn’t coming a much extended list, fixed that 339 names are little than 2% of nan full number of forcefully taken children, Euronews sources explained it was a determination based connected erstwhile experience.

“There is simply a consequence that Moscow would effort to bargain clip claiming it takes longer to cheque nan names, while trying to alteration nan identities of Ukrainian children further, making it intolerable to track,” nan root said.

Russia is deliberately erasing nan personality of nan illegally deported children, according to Ukraine’s lawman Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa.

The names and IDs are being changed, particularly erstwhile it comes to younger kids, who person been forced into take successful Russia.

The US-based Institute for nan Study of War deliberation vessel (ISW) stated that stealing nan children was 1 of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s priorities, referring to nan revelations of Ukrainian quality authorities activists.

The ISW uncovered Kremlin documents dated 18 February 2022, which laid retired plans to region Ukrainian children from orphanages successful occupied Luhansk and Donetsk regions and bring them to Russia nether nan guise of “humanitarian evacuations”.

Euronews sources acquainted pinch this facet of negotiations said that Kyiv’s database besides contains nan names of nan children who person not yet been moved to Russia and stay connected nan temporarily occupied territories.

“These are not only children who person been physically moved to nan territory of Russia, but besides those who are now trapped nether Russian business and power while remaining connected Ukrainian territories, temporarily occupied by Russia,” they said.

Deadline and conditions for nan return of Ukrainian children

When Ukraine and Russia met successful Istanbul for nan first clip connected 16 May, they agreed connected nan prisoners of warfare exchange, which took spot wrong 10 days aft nan talks. 

Another POW switch was agreed upon astatine nan 2nd information of talks connected Monday, erstwhile Ukraine passed connected nan database of nan deported children to Russia.

Kyiv now hopes Moscow will return nan abducted kids arsenic soon arsenic possible, without further delays. 

Without overmuch advancement connected nan subject broadside of nan negotiations, this is an opportunity for Moscow to show its "goodwill" connected nan humanitarian aspect.

"If they want to show it, they will find nan measurement to show their bully religion without further delays and beryllium it quickly," Euronews sources said, reiterating that Moscow knows wherever these children are. 

Russia besides tin do it pinch nan mediation of Qatar, South Africa aliases nan Vatican, nan countries which person assisted Kyiv successful nan past pinch nan return of nan Ukrainian children. 

In its "peace memorandum" proposal, Moscow has not toned down immoderate of its maximalist demands regarding battlefield and territorial concessions, and still demands that Ukraine cede its territories, including those it has ne'er controlled. 

With unit from nan US and new, tougher sanctions looming, Moscow must determine whether to proceed connected nan humanitarian way pinch Kyiv, fixed that this is nan only facet of nan nonstop talks that has yielded tangible results since nan negotiations resumed. 

The next, 3rd information of negotiations is expected to return spot astatine nan extremity of June.