The European Parliament overwhelmingly passed a resolution condemning Russia’s forcible deportation and Russification of Ukrainian children, calling it a “genocide” aimed at erasing Ukrainian identity and demanding the unconditional return of all abducted minors.
According to the resolution, Russia targeted vulnerable groups of children for deportation, including orphans and children from low-income families; whereas Ukrainian human rights activists uncovered Kremlin documents dated prior to the full-scale invasion which laid out plans to remove Ukrainian children and bring them to Russia under the guise of “humanitarian evacuations”;
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has identified over 19,500 children who were illegally transferred to Russia, Belarus, or Russian-occupied territories. Fewer than 1,300 have been returned. However, many experts say that the real number is much higher. Citing the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab, the actual figure is estimated to be as high as 35,000 as of March 2025.
Russia’s Vladimir Putin signed a decree in May 2022 providing a simplified procedure for the acquisition of Russian citizenship for Ukrainian children; whereas many of the deported children are forced to endure “re-education” facilities, meant to instill pro-Russian sentiments though “military-patriotic” training while others have been forcibly adopted into Russian families; whereas Russia opened a cadet school for abducted Ukrainian children, creating a direct pipeline into the federal security forces.
Russia is conducting a “systematic, intentional, and widespread” campaign of forced adoption and Russification. Many children are enrolled in organizations like Yunarmiya, or the “Young Army,” which trains minors in military skills and indoctrinates them with loyalty to the Kremlin, the Ukrainian newspaper Kyiv Independent reports.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova in connection with the abductions.
The relevant article is Article II(2) of the Genocide Convention, the used term is ‘forced assimilation’.
Yes, stealing children from others to erase their cultural identity and starve them of those who carry over the ideas and traditions IS in fact genocide, though I doubt the perpetrators will be facing trial before they wither away and die in a bunker…
Not to make everything about Palestine, but these statements really ring hollow when they’re made about as consistently as watered down soup.
I hope that this helps the forces inside the EU that want to end the EUs and its member states support as the clear double standard is pointed out.
I’m not saying it doesn’t count as a genocide, but it’s kind of rich to call this out while providing weapons and political support for another genocide.
That’s right, a genocide is a genocide, and I call them out. In Ukraine, Gaza, China’s Xinjiang, and elsewhere.
One interesting point in this context is that in this community, just the post before this one, another user posted about the genocide in Gaza, but the whataboutery is -once again- only here where we call out Russia (or China), not there. As you likely know, this hypocritical stance is widespread here on Lemmy as it happens always in one direction.
Mostly because the EU isn’t sending money and weapons to Russia, China, Myanmar and Sudan to continue those atrocities.
Removed by mod
The EU kept sending money to Russia through buying energy resources (still does to some extent) and the UAE continue to be one of the “strategic allies” of many EU countries in the region, while the UAE are a mayor supporter of the RSF in Sudan. And the trade with China is well known.
Obviously the EU should stop all of these practices or use their levers to push for improvements. While this would be most challenging with China the EU has the means to stop Russias shadow fleet in the baltic and push for sanctions against the UAE, which would also help Palestinians as the UAE is a mayor supporter and facilitator of trade and normalization for Israel.
Yes totally this, I don’t think this is whataboutism in the sense that this isn’t done to defend Russia (in this case). Whataboutism is usually when someone agrees factually but feels they’re wrongfully targeted (yes officer, I was speeding, but what about that guy there that just drove a red light, he doesn’t get a ticket so why am I). The what about Gaza in this case is to call out the EU on being inconsistent. Russia committing genocide is being called a genocide without a second though, while Israel committing genocide is answered with (well, you know, we can only call it a genecide after a judge rules it is actually a genocide).
but it’s kind of rich to call this out while providing weapons and political support for another genocide.
And money, don’t forget the money. Setting aside aid from EU countries, the EU is Israel’s biggest trade partner.
I made a statement to this already in this thread and want to add that a such persistent whataboutery in a context like child abduction is absolutely disgusting and derailed as it constitutes a further insult to these children and their families here and there.
I usually agree with you, but i don’t consider talking about eu policy on similar issues (although Israel just bombs them, so the result is different) an insult to the kids taken from their Ukrainian parents. I think especially those parents understand why they’re not the only ones who deserve to be talked about. What would be absolutely disgusting is defending one countries genocide but calling out another countries genocide.
Also let me add, I didn’t think it is humane to compare the pain of these two seperate groups. But I do think it’s fair to name the other group when the first group is talked about. They are both being targeted because of their nationality.
I get your point and don’t disagree. What I say is just that this whataboutery (or however we may call it) appears to exclusively work in one direction. As you said, “disgusting is defending one countries genocide but calling out another countries genocide.” In my humble opinion, this is what happens often here on Lemmy.
I was expanding on the other person’s point rather than making one of my own, so okay?
