On 4 January, the Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree according to which abducted Ukrainian children can easily and forcibly obtain Russian citizenship.
Abducted Ukrainian children can be made citizens of Russia
Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, said that Putin had signed Decree No. 11 "On the definition of certain categories of foreign citizens and stateless persons who have the right to apply for Russian citizenship".
It states that orphans and children deprived of parental care who are citizens of Ukraine can be granted Russian citizenship by Putin's personal decision, despite all or some requirements of federal law.
The Ombudsman reports that applications for Russian citizenship can be submitted by the heads of Russian organisations in which a child is under supervision.
The form does not even contain information about the applicant's place of residence and contact details, but only the address and contacts of the applicant's workplace, which may disappear at any time.
I believe that the granting of Russian citizenship to children is done so that they could say “there are no Ukrainian children [whom they must return home] in our territory, the ombudsman said.
Lubinets explains that Russian citizens can apply for citizenship for abducted Ukrainian children who are in Russian institutions or under the care of Russian families. Putin will grant such applications without any requirements.
We understand the terrible consequences of such actions, because the next step after they receive Russian "citizenship" will be the adoption of children by Russians, and after that — the change of their personal data.
Lubinets noted that he would take all necessary measures to respond both domestically and internationally, as such actions are one of the signs of genocide.
What is known about the abduction of Ukrainian children
On Children's Day in 2023, the Online.UA team presented the documentary project Crippled Childhood, which tells the stories of Ukrainian children who were abducted and forcibly deported to Russia.
In the film Crippled Childhood, children and their parents openly share their stories: some of them have been in captivity, some have been forcibly taken to a "rehabilitation camp", some have been separated from their parents during so-called filtration measures.
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